Code Decade: The Rider Rebellion
by kyugan
Summary: Nine Worlds to traverse. Nine Riders to challenge. One man's quest to find a place to belong. Welcome, Lelouch, to the Next Decade!
1. Prologue

To all of those wondering, I think I'll be taking a break from Naruto fics for a while, the way the plot is going right now, I just can't seem to work up any mojo at all. That aside, I've been considering several ideas for Code Geass, so look out for those.

Lelouch: You have good taste at least.

C.C: You're just saying that because he's given you TWO harem fics.

Lelouch: What man wouldn't want a harem or two?

C.C: Shingo Kiryuu.

Lelouch: Touche...

Kyugan: In any case, this fic kicks off shortly after R2, where Lelouch, for reasons beyond my comprehension, has allowed himself to be stabbed by Suzaku.

Lelouch: It was for world peace!

Kyugan: Whatever dead-guy *nods to C.C* now hold still.

Lelouch: Hold still for wha-HRGH!

C.C: *Smirks coyly as she stabs Lelouch* Hmm...not as fun as you make it seem...penetration that is.

Kyugan: Try not to bleed on the carpet, now roll camera!

* * *

**Journey Begins.**

'Where…am I?' a voice wondered, the owner's eyes opening to reveal an infinite whiteness that transcended all else 'Where is…this place…?'

Scenes flashed before the beings eyes, like a montage of old movies. It witnessed the rise and fall of nations, empires forming, only to crumble to dust, millennia passing in mere seconds, and each second lasting an eternity.

'What…is this?' the being wondered, mind oddly detached, as if the scenes racing before him meant nothing at all 'What does it mean?'

The being witnessed a child being born, and in seconds watched it grow to adulthood, the person's life unfolding in a matter of moments, yet the being saw every detail as if it were in slow motion.

'Why…am I here?' the being muttered, a hand coming up, only to pause, images of a sword stabbing through flesh rising to the forefront of it's mind 'Oh…' it noted, almost disinterestedly, as I commenting on the weather 'am I dead?'

"You are." A voice noted, the being's world jerking, eyes widening as he found himself, for indeed the being dicsovered he was male, standing in a strange, off-white world, naked as the day he was born.

"What is this?" he wondered, looking down at his hands with purple eyes, marvelling at their functionality and slenderness as he closed each finger experimentally, as if he'd never seen them before "Where is this?"

"This is the gate." A voice that was neither male nor female called out, the naked man turning, eyes blinking at the sight of a strange, human shaped silhouette, if such a thing could be called such, squatting in front of the largest, most ominous looking gate imaginable.

The overall shape of the silhouette was human, but that was where the resemblance ended. It had no features, no gender, not even any defining details. There was no skin, no hair, not even bones or muscle, simply a white outline against the off-white background, one 'arm' resting on it's 'knee', it's unseen gaze boring into the man.

"The Gate?" the man repeated, heedless of his nudity, or the weight of the being's sightless stare as he looked around warily, but there was nothing else in that off-white landscape to look at "The gate to where?"

"Who knows?" the being shrugged, the 'shoulders' rising almost noncommittally, it's genderless voice devoid of emotion, though the man got a feeling of smugness from it, as if it knew something he didn't, which at that moment, seemed likely "If you want to find out, you need to pay the toll."

"Toll?" the man repeated, blinking in confusion as he gazed at his mysterious companion, if such a being could be referred to as such "I'm afraid I've nothing to offer." He countered, holding his hands out at his sides to emphasize his nudity.

"Oh I've no need for money." The being countered, amusement in it's tone as it raised one hand out, palm up, as if to clutch something "the toll is unique to each person…depending on what they wish." The hand extended to the figure "What is it you desire?"

"My…desire…" the man wondered, his eyes going to his own hand, which he noted now was rather slim, hardly that of a man's at all, little more than a teenager at best "I want…"

Sudden, distant pain lanced through his chest, the man looking down, his eyes distant, at the gaping wound that appeared there, as if something had stabbed through him. Oddly enough, no blood flowed.

**"Destroy…"**

'What?' the man wondered, his purple eyes flinching as he reached up from his chest wound to his head, an echoing voice rising from deep within himself, sending flashes of pain through his skull 'What is this…?'

**"Destroy…worlds..."**

'Why would I want to destroy anything?' the man countered, suddenly dizzy, the hand on his chest growing sticky with blood as he swayed before the impassive entity, who's featureless face looked on with hidden interest.

**"Destroy worlds... to create…"**

"Worlds…" the man breathed, his words coming out as a ragged gasp as he staggered, landing on his knees and doubling over, his arms wrapped around his bleeding chest as he fell face first onto the unforgiving floor "Worlds…"

"So your wish is for worlds is it?" the entity noted, intrigue in it's tone as it slowly got to it's feet with a grunt "Not an easy wish, even by my standards…" it mused, padding towards the gasping man, or at least moving towards him, for his steps made no sound on that strange, barren floor "Still, a toll must be paid, and far be it from me to deny you…"

The man looked up, his eyes gazing upon that featureless face as the entity knelt, extending a hand towards him, almost kindly, one hand uncurling from around his chest to reach towards the offered limb with bloody fingertips.

"Welcome to the gate…" the entity greeted, fleshless fingers latching onto the man's hand like a viper's kiss, a wide, menacing smile, laced with mockery splitting its featureless face in two as the man gaped on in horror "Little Prince…"

* * *

_Inside the Gate_

The man screamed, his eyes wide with terror, even as the gates crashed open, revealing a mass of darkness and glowing red eyes, shadowy tendrils looming over the entity to grab at him, dragging him into the darkness beyond.

Pain lanced through the man, screams tearing from his lips in a rising crescendo, until he went so far beyond pain that he could no longer feel it, nor hear his own agonized screams, though they doubtless continued. 'Make it stop!' he wished to cry out, but he could find no means to voice his plea, for all he knew he could still be screaming himself hoarse 'Dear God make it stop!'

**"Do you know why the snow is white?..."** a voice asked, the tone soft, lilting and female, yet all to clear despite his screams of agony **"It's because it's forgotten what color it's supposed to be..."**

**"The world and the people in it…" **another voice stated, this one laced with determination and resolve, decidedly male **"they will never be what we want them to be!"**

'Who are you?' the man demanded, the voices tearing at his heart, his mind, even as he was carried down the path of agony, the clutching hands tearing him apart and putting him back as they pleased.

**"All this power…" **yet another voice murmured, another woman's, but this time laced with amazement and growing anger, which exploded before him like a firework **"ARRGH, do the right thing!"**

'What is the right thing?' the man demanded, seeking a face to tie to that voice, only for the agony to increase, a sense of loss coming over him as he sank into the abyss. 'Why is this happening?' he wondered, a sense of loss washing over him as he fell deeper into the realm of pain and fading memories 'What did I do to deserve this…am I being punished?'

**"It wasn't me who was wrong..." **a new voice declared, this one strong and firm, laced with absolute certainty and anger, though like the others, the man could not quite place where eard it before **"It was the world!"**

'The world?' the man wondered, the new voice's words striking a chord somewhere deep within his tattered heart of hearts, driving through the pain as he sought to latch onto those words, to keep them with him 'Then…what should I do…?'

**"The world won't change with pretty words alone"** the voice declared, the words ringing true to the man's mind as the agony began to fade away. **"The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed."**

'The resolve to kill…or be killed…' the man wondered, even as scenes flashed before his eyes, scenes of giant, armoured machines clashing in mid-air, or at sea. Of people, kind faced and scowling, of men, women and children, all in various stages of emotion 'But what is that resolve for…?'

**"In order to change EVERYTHING."** The voice proclaimed, another surge of memories washing over the man as he continued to fall.

'Who…are you?' he wondered, trying to place a name to the voice that was echoing in his head, one hand, which was little more than several particles held loosely together, reaching out in wonderment 'Who are you…?'

**"I am the ally to those without power…"**

The images changed, replaced with a scene of a barren canyon, the man looking on in wonderment as what appeared to be a full-scale war broke out.

Tens, hundreds, thousands of armoured figures rushed into the canyon, some of them riding on vehicles, others charging on foot. From the sky came a great roar, and two trains, one red and white, the other green, descended from on high, the warriors mounted on their hulls opening fire, only to be cut down in a fiery explosion.

An enraged roar heralded the arrival of a giant fortress, like a medieval castle, only with the head, wings, and tail of a massive dragon extending from its sides. Mounted on the prow of this strange fortress was another armoured warrior, and flanking it were two more dragons, of oriental design, one red, and one black, with corresponding warriors on their backs.

**"Those with power, fear me!"**

The dragons launched their attack; only to be shot down, the fortress dragon collapsing on its side with an agonized roar, even as it's fellows continued their reckless charge. From behind, a massive armoured figure, like a gorilla almost, reared up on its hind legs, angered by it's comrade's fall, only to be silenced itself by another explosion.

**"Those who are powerless, seek me!"**

Undaunted by the giant's fall, the surviving armoured warriors continued their reckless charge, roaring out in unity as they advanced on their foe, only to be cut down en masse, the survivors crying out as the ground beneath them exploded.

**"You either live with me or die with me!"**

The man shielded his eyes, waiting for the smoke and debris to clear, only to gape in horror at the sight before him, of the numerous armoured warriors, which now lay lifeless on the ground, the smoking heaps of their vehicles and weapons lying scattered all around them.

"What…" the man wondered, realizing with a start that he was standing in that barren canyon, that he could smell the scorched earth, that he could feel the clamminess of the air, hear the crackling of the fires and the dieing echoes of destruction "What is this?"

A cry from the distance drew his attention to the end of the canyon, where the body count seemed the highest. One of the dragons, the red, oriental one, let loose one last, keening roar, before collapsing, it's struggles stilling as a light shone over it, a figure hovering in midair, arms at his sides, palms out.

The man blinked, gazing at the figure before him in wonderment and growing terror as it loomed ever closer, unable to turn nor avert his eyes from the being as it descended on him like some evil angel, it's sinister green eyes glowing ominously.

**"I am the destroyer and creator of worlds."**

* * *

_A garden in the rain..._

The man stumbled forwards, his eyes wide, his hand outstretched as if to grab something, the other clutching his chest, only to blink, pulling up short at the feeling of rain pounding down on him.

'What…?' he wondered, blinking in confusion, gazing at his extended right hand, watching the rain water trickle off it in wonderment, noting with some surprise that he was now dressed, though his clothes were soaked through.

'A dream?' he wondered, looking down at his clothes, noting with some interest that it seemed like some sort of uniform, black pants, a blazer lined with golden thread, and smart, dress shoes 'No…' he muttered, clenching a hand over his chest, where phantom pain remained 'But then where…?'

"Konbanwa…" a voice greeted, the man blinking, looking up in surprise to find he was standing in the middle a massive garden, lined on all sides by an ornate wooden fence. Before him lay a traditional Japanese style house, though how he knew it was Japanese was beyond him, the roofs, walls and windows marked with the sign of a crescent moon, the tiles dark and the walls wooden.

A figure lounged on the walkway, sheltered from the rain by the roof, his mismatched eyes gazing out at the man impassively from behind a pair of spectacles. He was dressed in a practical, but nonetheless elaborate men's kimono, despite the elegance of his clothes, he seemed lanky and thin, little more than a teenager himself. A long Japanese pipe rested in one hand, the smoke curling around him like mist.

"Right on time…" the youth noted, a pocket watch disappearing into the sleeve of his kimono as he sat up, the pipe held between two fingers as he regarded the man before him, his features welcoming, but oddly detached.

"Um…good evening…" the man replied, a little uncertainly, only to blink, his eyes widening in confusion as he realized that he'd responded in the same language as the teen before him, though he knew he wasn't from the same place "Where am I?"

"In my garden." The teen replied cryptically, a small smile on his bespectacled face as he blew a trail of smoke into the night air, watching it fade before elaborating "Or rather, in the garden of my shop."

"A shop?" the man wondered, looking up at the large house behind the man, a sudden feeling washing over him, a certainty that there was more to those wooden walls and shutters than met the eyes.

"Yes…a shop." The teen replied, taking another draw on his pipe "Though you'll forgive me if I don't invite you inside." He turned to regard the man with a lidded stare "Your kind aren't normally welcome here."

"Sorry…" the man offered, though internally he felt the stirring of some buried emotion, most likely annoyance, at the teen's attitude, even as he turned as if to walk away from the house, despite the pouring rain "I'll leave."

"No such thing." The teen countered, shaking his head as he held up a hand to stall the man, his smile cryptic "Why do you think I'm out here? I can carry out a transaction just as easily on the porch as inside."

"I'm sorry…what?" the man wondered, honestly bewildered by this strange, enigmatic teen's words. At the very least he was human, unlike the faceless entity from before, but nonetheless he exhibited an air of…strangeness about him.

"So then…" the teen noted, tapping out his pipe and refilling it with fresh coal "you have a wish, correct?" he nodded at the man's look of shock "Don't be surprised, that's this shop's speciality."

"Um…I think there's been a mistake." The man countered, looking confused at this sudden turn of events, recalling his words with the last person that had mentioned a 'wish', and the pain that had resulted from it "I don't have a wish…"

"But you do." The man countered, a wry smile on his lips as he gestured behind the man to a set of gate posts, the came crescent moon carved on their sides "Everyone that comes to this shop has a wish…" here his gaze grew lidded "The problem…is whether you can afford the price?"

"Price?" the man repeated, the feeling of deja-vu washing over him again as he recalled the unnerving smile of the faceless entity, patting his new clothes down with a frown "Like I told the other guy…I don't have anything."

"But you do." The youth countered, his features solemn, almost wistful as he eyed the drenched figure from his spot on the porch "In fact, if I'm not mistaken…you've already paid part of it in coming here…"

He turned, ignoring the man's look of confusion, calling into the shop, summoning two girls, one in black with long blue pigtails, and one in white with short pink hair. "Maru, Moro." The bespectacled teen murmured, his eyes gentle as he smiled at the duo, who were standing hand in hand "Fetch THOSE from the storehouse, will you?"

"Can I get an umbrella while we're at it?" the man demanded politely, but pointedly, only to scowl as the girls giggled and ran off into the house, leaving him in the downpour "I mean is this any way to run a business?"

"Store policy." The shopkeeper countered with an ALMOST apologetic smile, though the man could see the bemused look in his eyes "Your kind couldn't enter even if they tried…the barrier would repel you."

"My kind?" the man repeated, blinking at the bespectacled teen in confusion, only to shudder as the entity from the gate's words registered, his hand going to his chest, feeling around for his non-existant stab wound "You mean…"

"Got it! Got it!" the twins cheered, racing around the corner, each of them carrying a strange device in her hands. The blue one carried what looked like a belt, though the buckle was rather large, like a giant white camera. The pink one carried a strange, metallic case, almost like a book.

"Indeed…" the teen nodded, blowing a gentle stream of smoke into the nce more "the dead are not welcome in this world…in order to grant your wish, I must send you to a world where you can exist."

"A world I can exist in?" the man repeated, only to blink as the twins raced up to him, the blue one fastening the belt to his waist, while the pink one clipped the weird case to his left hip, chanting all the while "Hey what're you-HEY!"

"I'm afraid there's little more I can do for you." The shopkeeper sighed, looking on impassively as the twins shoved the taller man before them, moving him towards the garden gateposts with surprising strength "The rest of your journey depends on you."

"Hold it!" the man demanded, looking over his shoulder, trying to free himself from the little girls' grasps, only to almost stagger as they shoved him out the gateway, the man righting himself with a grunt, before whipping round to glare at them "How will I…know…?"

He gaped, his eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of the empty lot on the other side of the gateposts. There wasn't even a fence anymore, simply two, rather odd looking gateposts, carved with the crescent moon. On the other side was an abandoned lot, filled with garbage and various other throwaway items. And judging by the smell, the lot had been like this for some time.

* * *

_Outside the Gates..._

"What the…hell…?" the man wondered, turning his head left and right in confusion, unable to comprehend what he was seeing, or rather, failing to see "But it was…I was just…!"

He paused, taking a look at his surroundings, noting with interest that it had stopped raining too, or rather, that the rain had vanished along with the store.

'That's not the only thing that's changed.' He noted, a frown on his face as he eyed his clothes, which had changed almost without him noticing, save for the buckle and case attached to his waist.

Rather than the black blazer he had worn second before, he was now clad in a beige, button up jacket with red trim, an ID badge clipped to the front, with a black undershirt underneath. His pants, had changed to an identical shade of beige as his jacket, and his dress shoes had even been changed to black sneakers, with a strange, winged glyph on the back of the heels and toes. To top it all off, there was a large duffle bag, the kind used by athletes, and a briefcase resting at his feet.

"Looks like they at least gave me some supplies." He muttered, shaking his head in disbelief as he knelt down, unzipping the duffle bag and rifling through it, coming up with several changes of clothing, a phone, and a wallet.

"Hope this isn't stolen…" he muttered, only to wince as his stomach growled, looking around for a restaurant or café, only to sigh as he realized there were none nearby "First things first…" he deduced, picking up the two bags with a grunt "Find food, then answers."

Unbeknownst to the teen, his arrival had not gone entirely unnoticed. The figure lurking in the shadows watched him go, a gloved fist tightening in anger as he glared after the departing teen, eyes narrowing at his defenceless back.

"So…" he muttered, watching the teen scamper off in search of food, light glinting off his helmet as he withdrew into the shadows "you've finally come…"

* * *

Reworked the opening chapter a little, for Plot Convenience.

Yes, that is Lelouch, for the same reasons I stated during the promo-chapter in my Crossover Corner.

No, C.C & Kallen won't be travelling with him, he's going to be picking up new travelling buddies.

C.C: Rats...I wanted to see Lulu in pink...

Lelouch: It's not pink dammit!

Kyugan: It's pink, deal with it. For those of you wondering how Lelouch, who can't outrun Milly in full frock dress, can be a Rider, I turn to the Deus Ex Machina that is the Gate of Truth. The man was taken apart, one atom at a time, and reassembled back in Watanuki's yard. Don't tell me the gate didn't put him back together a little better than before.

Kyugan: For those of you who ask HOW improved Lelouch is...refer to my Geass Tekka fic. He's not THAT strong as a human, but he's close enough that he can at least pull off some of the stunts Tsukasa did in the world of Faiz.

C.C: Seriously, DBZ meets Prince of Tennis, what the hell?

Kyugan: And yes, Lelouch has no memory of his past. It's such a useful plot device I can't help but use it over and over again, and it worked so well for Tsukasa. Let's see how this saga unfolds eh?


	2. Neon Genesis EvangeliKuuga

Here we go, the first stop on Lelouch's Amazing Journey through the Rider worlds!

Lelouch: I wonder how my other selves are?

Kyugan: Hell if I know, you're the only Lelouch we're going to see in this fic.

Lelouch: Eh?

Kyugan: Each Rider world will be modelled after a specific anime that Sketchfan and I deemed appropriate. It'll be pic n' mix for a few, but most of them were carefully selected through much trial and error.

C.C: Kyugan, what do you want me to do with this dartboard?

Lelouch: *Deadpan stare* Trial and error huh?

Kyugan: Urusei! LAUGHING PREASSURE POINT!

Lelouch: PffftHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!

Kyugan: Everyone's a critic...let's ride!

* * *

**New world, new problems.**

It turned out that, wherever the bespectacled teen and his childish assistants had disappeared to, they at least had the decency to supply him with funds, as the wallet he'd been bequeathed had several thousand yen inside. Hardly a great find, true, but at the very least it proved enough to buy him a frugal meal at a nearby ramen stand.

'Lelouch Lamperouge…' the young man mumbled, looking down at the id card that had been attached to the front of his jacket, 'Lieutenant at the Tokyo-2 NERV facility…' he frowned at the rather good picture of himself that emblazoned his ID card 'Where'd he get this?'

"Here ya go!" the ramen vendor greeted, the middle-aged man smiling kindly at the youth, his eyes closed as he set a large bowl of miso ramen before the teen "Haven't seen you around here son, you new?"

"You could say that…" Lelouch muttered, the younger man figuring he might as well play along with this weird scenario, as it was better than remaining nameless in a strange world "Just arrived today."

"You come from abroad?" the man asked, taking in the lanky teen's obviously foreign features with a nod, his smile widening as he tucked his thumbs into his apron "Well consider the first bowl on the house, as a welcome to Tokyo-2."

"My thanks." Lelouch offered, the purple eyed teen smiling gratefully up at the old man, accepting a set of chopsticks from the pretty attendant of the stall with a grateful nod, snapping them open expertly.

"You're pretty good." The girl noted, her eyebrows rising in surprise as she watched the teen easily slurp up the noodles "Most foreigners have a hard time with chopsticks, have you used them before?"

"This is my first time to my knowledge." Lelouch admitted honestly, wondering what the big deal was as the chef appraised him with an approving nod, the teen lifting the bowl up to get at the broth, setting it down with a satisfied sigh.

"Good huh?" the old man grinned, nodding his head in approval at the sight of another satisfied customer "That's Ichiraku quality that is, I dare you to find a ramen stall out there that sells better!"

"I don't think I'll take that bet." Lelouch offered with a smile, earning a short, approving laugh from the chef as he ordered another bowl of delicious broth "By the way, do you know where this NERV facility is?"

"Hm? Oh it's a ways from here," The girl noted, leaning over the stall to point down the road to the left "You just head straight down that road and through the tunnel." She smiled at him apologetically "Taxi's aren't allowed and there's a bit of a hill, but it's nothing too bad if you take it easy. I only know because one of our regulars works there."

"Thanks, and again for the food." Lelouch offered, finishing off his second bowl and slapping down an extra thousand yen bill as a tip as he walked off, the Chef calling out for him to stop by again as another customer walked under the curtain.

* * *

_Main Street..._

'This new world seems alright…' Lelouch noted, taking in the towering skyscrapers all around him with interest, noting that, despite the sun being up, the number of people moving about were minimal, most of them sticking together in groups, or moving quickly on their way. Another common trait was the weird maple leaf insignia that adorned the occasional wall, store window or bumper sticker. Strangely enough, despite the locals speaking Japanese, this symbol was adorned with English letters.

'N.E.R.V…huh?' the teen muttered, waiting for the light to change as he peered through a café window, where a woman, dressed in an identical uniform to his own, was sipping from a coffee mug adorned with the logo, her eyes transfixed to what appeared to be several documents 'Seems pretty popular…for a secret organization.' he deadpanned, moving as the light changed to let him cross 'Just what kind of facility is this place?'

Before he could ponder the question further, the teen was shaken out of his thoughts by a sudden scream and the screeching of tires, followed by the sounds of an explosion from behind. Whipping round, the dimensional traveller found himself face to face with a ten car pile, the automobiles having apparently crashed into each other at the very crosswalk he'd vacated not ten seconds prior, the flames from the wreckage crackling audibly as smoke and cries of alarm filled the air.

"What the hell?" Lelouch breathed, his eyes wide, visibly shaken at how close he'd been to the accident, even as the sound of sirens filled the air "What the hell just-?"

A figure moved in the flames, Lelouch's eyes squinting as he tried to make out what it was, only to widen in alarm as a man staggered out of the flames, clutching his head with one hand as the other groped wildly before him.

"Hang on!" Lelouch cried, dropping his duffle bag as he stepped forwards to help the man, supporting him with his arms "Are you alright? Just hang on! An ambulance should be here any minute now-!"

"That's not gonna be a problem…Lillim." The man countered, Lelouch's eyes widening at the mockery in the man's tone, even as he felt the grip on his shoulder increase, painfully so, like claws were digging into his shoulder.

'What the hell?' Lelouch cursed, grabbing the man by the wrist in an attempt to force him to let go, but his assailant held firm, his grip like vice "Let go of me!" he snarled, backhanding the man across the face, only to blink as he felt something come off under his knuckles, his eyes widening at the sight of the jagged tear of skin attached to the back of his hand.

"Bad move kid…" the man growled, Lelouch's eyes widening as his assailant turned back to face him, his right cheek torn, the flesh torn and rotting, as Lelouch inhaled the scent of burnt, rotted flesh "I was gonna make this painful…" the man hissed, his other hand grabbing Lelouch by the throat, "can't have my new body too banged up after all…" he got right in Lelouch's face, a fierce snarl stretching his rotted cheeks apart sickeningly "but now you've gone and pissed me off!"

With a roar, he hurled Lelouch across the street, the dimensional traveller's back slamming against a wall, the teen cursing as he fell to the floor, coughing up blood from the impact.

'He's as strong as a bear!' the teen realized, forcing his eyes open, watching his assailant draw closer as he pushed himself onto his knees 'and that smell…is he suffering from a leprosy or something?'

"Still alive kid?" the rotting man asked, smirking sickly as he advanced, the fingers of his right hand cracking audibly as they elongated, the flesh tearing as his nails lengthened to dagger length "That's good…means I picked a good, durable host."

"FREEZE!"

The man turned, scowling in distaste as several armed officers, decked out in full riot gear, surrounded them, aiming a vast assortment of weapons at him. "Unidentified Life-Form no.3!" a tall, purple haired woman in a red jacket over a black dress called out, apparently the leader of the group "Surrender immediately!"

"Tch…you Lillim and your toys…" the man snorted, his rotted features twisting in a sickening sneer as he raised his clawed hand, the elongated nails turning a dull, ominous red "So easy to break!"

"Fall back!" the woman called out, only to leap out of the way as the man lashed out, slicing through a car's gas tank, sending her subordinates fleeing for cover as it exploded, cursing as she rolled clear of the smoke "Damn! Open fire!"

"MUDA-DA!" the man cackled, grinning as a hexagonal wall of light appeared before him, halting the bullets even as he lashed out again, slicing through metal like it was wet paper, sending the soldiers flying "You Lillim don't stand a chance against me!"

"Then why don't I try?" a voice called out, the man whipping round, only to receive a boot to the face that send him sprawling across the street.

Lelouch blinked, gaping up in shock at the new arrival, unable to believe what he'd just seen. The newcomer was clad in a black bodysuit, over which he wore a sculpted red chest plate with gold trim, with matching wrist, knee and ankle guards and a silver belt set with a red gem. His helmet was black as well, trimmed with gold with a silver mouth-guard in a style reminiscent of an insect's mandible. Two golden horns adorned the top, set above a pair of glowing red eyes.

"Damn you Kuuga!" the man snarled, glaring up at the new arrival as he staggered to his feet, one hand covering his injured, rotted face "Can't you mind your own damn business you armoured pest?"

"You're attacking innocent civilians." The armoured man countered, clenching a fist as he got into a stance, one fist held near his helmet, the other ready at his waist, his legs spread wide, ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice "That MAKES this my business."

"I'LL KILL YOU!" the man snarled, his arms spreading wide as his skin seemed to rip apart, giving way to reveal a massive, vaguely humanoid creature with large bony structures on its shoulders and torso, with a giant red gem adorning it's midriff and several gill-like structures adorning it's legs. Its spindly arms ended in menacing, three-fingered hands, as it glared at the armored warrior from black, empty eyes, which were set in a distinctive beaked face.

The two clashed, the armoured warrior grabbing both of the monster's spindly arms under his own, kicking his foe repeatedly in the mid-riff before tossing him away from the circle of officers, who had recovered from the assault and were circling them again.

* * *

_On the sidelines..._

While all this was going on, Lelouch was looking on in wonderment, watching the clash of the two warriors with a dazed, distant expression "Kuuga…" the teen whispered, his voice distant, almost as if he were speaking in his sleep, his eyes locked onto the armoured figure's back "Kamen Rider Kuuga…"

"Are you alright?" a voice asked, Lelouch snapping out of his daze with a jolt o find the purple haired woman from before kneeling next to him, a concern look on her face "Wait, you're with N.E.R.V?" she exclaimed, catching sight of his uniform, before grabbing him by the elbow "Never mind, Come with me!"

"Who?" Lelouch began, only to yelp as the woman yanked him to his feet, half dragging, half carrying him to a waiting blue Renault Alpine A310, though Lelouch was too dazed by what was going on to ponder HOW he knew what make it was.

"Major Katsuragi!" one of the officers called out, the young man's gun moving back and forth between the creature, 'Shito' a part of Lelouch's mind informed him, and Kuuga, his bespectacled features lined with uncertainty "What should we do?"

"The Red one's obviously on our side!" the purple haired Major declared, even as she dragged the stumbling Lelouch behind her parked car for cover "Forget that, get me a medic over here, stat!"

"I'm fine!" Lelouch insisted, the purple eyed teen fighting to get the woman off him, his eyes never leaving Kuuga's back as the Kamen Rider continued to battle his opponent "Dammit woman! Lemme go!"

"Hey! That's no way to speak to a superior officer newbie!" the purple haired major warned, though her tone was laced with amusement as she forced the teen into the backseat of her car, a NERV officer with a medical badge on his sleeve sauntering up, bag in hand "Now stay here while I see about getting my men outta this."

"Yeah right…" Lelouch muttered, scowling at the woman as she dashed off back to the fight, batting at the hands of the medic as the man began patting him down "Dammit!" he snarled, pushing the man's hands aside as he glared at him "I'm alright! Let me go!"

"As you command…" the medic murmured, his tone distant, as if he were in a trance, Lelouch blinking in confusion as the man stepped back, his dazed expression fixed in place "Please take care of yourself."

"Uh…sure?" Lelouch muttered, walking past the man, who continued to stand there, gazing off into the distance. 'Weird…' he muttered, waving a hand in front of the medics face for emphasis, 'Was it something I said?' he shrugged, turning on his heel and racing off after the purple haired woman, intent on getting back to the fight.

As the teen raced off, he failed to notice the shadowy figure watching him from a dark alley, the light glinting off a black, hawk-like helmet with a smooth, featureless visor.

'Still using the same dirty methods…' the figure muttered, his tone bitter as he watched the medic blink, the dazed man looking around at his surroundings in confusion, as if he'd just woken from a dream 'You haven't changed a bit…'

* * *

_Back with Kuuga..._

Misato gasped for breath, the purple haired major leaning against a wall as she watched Kuuga and the creature designated as 'Unidentified Life-form No.3' battle it out in an abandoned parking structure.

The combatants seemed to be tireless, having raced here, on foot no less, from the main street almost four blocks away, and were still going at it full-steam, so intent in bashing each other's brains in they didn't even bother to note they'd been followed.

Misato, on the other hand, was resolutely cursing her staying out late the other night, not to mention the fact that she hadn't run more than a block since graduating from College and getting her license. Why run when you can drive after all?

'Like I'd risk my car anywhere near fights like this.' She muttered, her eye twitching as she recalled the already numerous payments she still had to pay off on her car after the LAST time she'd made the mistake of bringing it along 'Only sixteen more to go…'

"So this is Kuuga…" a voice muttered at her side, Misato jumping in alarm, whipping round to find the purple-eyed rookie from before standing at her elbow, his eyes fixed on the fight, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hey! I thought I told you to stay with the doctor!" the purple haired major demanded, glaring at the teen for startling her, though in truth she really should have been paying more attention, as Shito weren't above using hostages "This is no place for rookies!"

"Do I look like I'm going to get mixed up in that?" the teen muttered, levelling a deadpan stare at the major as Kuuga's adversary tossed a car at the red-clad rider, who rolled out of the way with a yelp.

"Point taken…" Misato murmured, sweat dropping at the sight, before frowning and calling out to Kuuga, who was being battered around like a rag doll "Baka!" she called out "You can't match him in hand to hand!"

"I got it!" Kuuga called back, rolling clear of his opponent before holding a hand over his belt, the jewel changing from red to blue "CHOU HENSHIN!"

A chime emitted from the belt, followed by Kuuga's armour changing to match the colour of his belt gem, the now blue-clad rider ducking under one of the Shito's strikes to grab a utility pole that was lying against the wall, morphing it into a staff-like weapon.

"Hm…so he can transform objects into weapons…" the rookie muttered, Misato turning to find him watching the fight with an intrigued air "Not only that, but he has several different forms, each of which offers a different advantage…pretty versatile."

"Just stay back." Misato muttered, a little unnerved by how calmly the teen was analysing the armoured fighter, almost as if he was evaluating him "The Unidentified Life forms can be unpredictable."

An explosion rocked the area, Misato cursing as she tackled the teen, dragging him to the ground as the Shito unleashed a blast of Cross-like energy from it's palm, sending Kuuga flying across the lot.

"Unpredictable is right…" the teen muttered, shaking the dust out of his eyes, only to blink as he realized the major was straddling him, the purple haired woman coming to the same realization almost instantly "Well…this is…awkward…"

"First time someone's told me that." Misato noted, a teasing smile on her face, which faded instantly as a pained groan drew her attention to Kuuga, who was pulling himself to his feet with the aid of his staff "Shin-chan!" she called out, missing the look on the rookie's face as she clambered off him, removing her Glock from it's holster and tossing it to the rider "Use this!"

"Hai! Misato-san!" Kuuga called out, tapping his belt once again, the crystal and armour turning green even as he caught the gun, which morphed into weapon that resembled a golden bow gun, turning to open fire at his opponent, knocking the Shito off it's feet with a curse.

"Shin-chan?" a voice repeated with interest, Misato flinching, cursing her big mnouth for the umpteenth time as she turned to face the strange rookie, whose purple eyes seemed to glow ominously as theyt bored into her own.

"Don't go spreading any rumours." The Major muttered, her gaze hard as she looked the mysterious new lieutenant in the eyes, before turning on her heel to follow after Kuuga, who was chasing the retreating Shito up to the roof "That's a direct order!"

* * *

_On the roof..._

"You're pretty tenacious…" Kuuga muttered, sidestepping around the desperate strikes of his opponent, delivering the occasional kick to knock the monster off balance "But this is the end of the line…surrender…" he cocked his bow gun in warning "I won't ask twice."

The Shito snarled something in its native language, a string of gobbledygook that even the most experienced linguists had failed to decipher, but Kuuga felt he got the gist of as the monstrosity flipped the bird before leaping into the air, trying to escape over the side.

"Your choice…" Kuuga muttered, pulling back on the bow gun, before loosing a deadly bolt of golden energy that rammed into the Shito's back, it's keening shriek drowned out in the explosion that followed.

"Shin-chan!" a concerned, exhausted voice called out, the Kamen Rider turning to find a gasping Misato standing in the doorway, the purple haired major looking exhausted from her race up the stairs.

"Misato-san…" the rider greeted, turning to face the woman as his belt chimed again, the armour faded away to revealing a young man, no more than thirteen, dressed in a white, button-up shirt with black undershirt, black slacks and white sneakers. "Are you alright?" he asked, his gentle features lined with concern as he watched the woman pant for breath.

"I just ran up ten flights of stairs in stylish heels and a cute skirt." Misato panted back, glaring half-heartedly at the concerned, unfazed brunet as she tried to catch her breath "Of course I'm not alright."

"You're really out of shape." the teen noted with a smile, his light blue eyes teasing as held up his hands to ward off the woman's glare, holding out her gun, which had returned to normal, handle first.

"Watch it kiddo." Misato warned, her tone lined with false anger as she applied the safety, before tucking the weapon back in its holster inside her jacket, even as a teasing smile formed on her face "Still, you did good, Shinji."

Shinji, as the young man was called, smiled at the praise as he let the woman fuss over him, only mildly protesting as she checked him over for injuries. Out of all the people at NERV, Misato was the only one to know he was Kuuga, and that was simply because the Major was a lot sharper than she let on. When he'd first showed up, he'd been branded as 'Unidentified Life-form no. 4', despite his saving the public from Shito attacks, and it was only thanks to Misato that NERV wasn't actively hunting Kuuga down like they did the Shito.

"As congratulations, I'll treat you to one of my special dinners!" Misato offered, beaming at the young man as she slung her arm over his shoulders, the other arm punching the air in celebration "Oh yeah! We're gonna go crazy tonight!"

"Uh…you really don't need to do that, Misato-san…" Shinji muttered, recalling the last time the woman had tried to cook something with a shudder. NERV was still uncertain as to whether to brand the abomination as 'Unidentified Life Form no.5' last he'd heard.

"Nonsense!" Misato assured him, putting him in a headlock, unconsciously pressing his face into the side of her breast as she laughed "Hell we can invite the rest of the gang over! Make it a proper party!" She grinned at the teen "Who knows? Maybe you and Rei-chan can get a little 'alone time'…"

"M-MISATO-SAN!" Shinji yelped, the brunet's features turning the same shade of red as Kuuga's armour as he fought to free himself from the woman's hold "A-AYANAMI-SAN AND I AREN'T LIKE THAT!"

"Whatever you say Shin-chan." Misato teased, ruffling the teen's head teasingly, much to his protest, unaware of the figure lurking in the stairwell, who'd been listening in on their conversation the entire time.

"So that's Kuuga…" Lelouch muttered, his features lined with grim intrigue as he watched the hapless teen get more and more flustered at the ribbing from the older woman "Talk about looks being deceptive." He smirked to himself as he walked off, hands in his pockets "Looks like this world is going to be pretty interesting."

* * *

_N.E.R.V, Commander's Office..._

"So Unidentified Life-form no.4 appeared again?" Gendo Ikari demanded, the bearded, grim-faced commander of NERV looking across at Misato from behind his large oak desk, his features hidden behind his arched hands and orange tinted sunglasses.

"Yes sir." Misato acknowledged, the major standing at attention as she gave her report, trying like hell not to be intimidated by Shinji's grim faced sire "As a result, my squad suffered only minor injuries."

"I've already made arrangements for them to be transferred temporarily to less strenuous duties until their recuperation is complete." The commander assured Misato, his features softening, ever so slightly, as the woman nodded in gratitude "Still, what of the target?"

"Yes sir." Misato sighed, her features downcast as she recalled the other bad news "It was another one of our employees," she admitted, clenching a fist at the memory "a woman again, same MO as before."

"That makes three NERV employees that have been targeted." Yui Ikari murmured, the brown haired, lab-coat clad head of R&D looking over the deceased file with an apprehensive expression on her face "What on earth could be the reason?"

"They must know by now that we at NERV are hunting them down." Gendo deduced, his tone as grim as his bearded features as he frowned behind his sunglasses "These attacks don't appear random either…"

"All the victims up till now have been female NERV operatives." Yui agreed, her features lined with concern as she flipped over the previous three cases "All of them were either strangled or bludgeoned to death, though in this case the perpetrator didn't get off Scott-free."

"It tried to escape in a car and wound up causing a pile up." Misato admitted, grimacing at the memory of the mangled, burning husks of the trashed vehicles "Witnesses prior to No.4's arrival it also claim that it appeared to have possessed a human form, though it was obviously in some state of decay, even prior to the accident."

"So they can possess humans in order to disguise themselves…" Yui muttered offhandedly, making a note of this revelation as she spoke "However, this possession either causes the body to break down, or they possess their hosts posthumously."

"More likely the latter." Gendo murmured, pulling a file from his desk drawer and handing it to Misato "This is a missing person's report Section 2 obtained from the Police," he informed her as she opened it "filed three days ago."

"That's him alright…" the major muttered, her features grim, though lined with a sense of pity as she stared down at the face of the, admittedly cute, young man that the Shito had worn like a mask "Poor guy…"

"Major." Gendo spoke up, the grim-faced commander drawing the purple-haired woman's attention back to himself, his hands steepled in front of his face once again "I leave it to you to handle this matter…and the matter of no.4."

"Yes sir…" Misato saluted, though she was forcibly holding herself in check. Despite all the good Shinji had done, it was moot so long as his own parents continued to see Kuuga as a threat. So far as the Ikari's were concerned, Kuuga was an unknown variable, and in a war against an unknown foe, unknown variables were dangerous.

'I wonder if they would be so quick to judge if they knew it was their son running around risking his neck?' the woman muttered as she prepared to leave. The Ikari's loved their son dearly, though there was a sense of rivalry between father and son that was both amusing and bizarre to watch at times. This made it all the harder for Shinji, knowing that his own parents had ordered that Kuuga be brought in for 'study', like he was some sort of dangerous animal.

"By the way. Major." Gendo spoke up, stalling the purple haired woman as she made to excuse herself "I understand that you bumped into our latest transfer from the European Branch?"

"Huh?" Misato blinked, momentarily thrown for a loop, recalling the strange, purple-eyed teen that had followed after her during Shinji's fight with no.3 with a gasp of surprise "Oh! Yeah I have...seems weird."

"He's a bit young, but his record is exemplary." Yui assured the younger woman, a smile on her face as she looked over the teen's file, which she'd had under her arm "Not even in his twenties and he's already a lieutenant!"

"We're placing him under your command for the duration." Gendo informed the major, earning a look of shock from Misato, as this was the first she'd heard of such a thing "See to it he settles in alright, show him the ropes and all that."

"Yessir." Misato saluted, a little apprehensive, considering what she'd seen of the teen so far, but ready to handle anything.

* * *

_Lobby outside the Commander's office..._

'So this is NERV…' Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed teen only half listening to the calming, orchestra music, Bach he believed, that was playing over the speakers as he stood in the lobby outside the commander's office, his duffle bag at his side as he waited to be called in 'The organization that exists to ensure Humanity's survival.'

For some odd reason, Lelouch's mind seemed to be brimming with odd bits of trivia regarding this new world. Nothing concrete, like what he was doing here, or what the hell was going on, but enough to know the names of certain places and things, which in this case seemed to include Kuuga, his powers, and his enemies.

'So NERV was originally formed as a means to handle paranormal threats to humanity.' The teen mused, sitting back in his chair with a cup of terrible coffee from the nearby vending machine, going over several old newspaper articles that were in the lobby, apparently as reference material 'The Shito began appearing almost a month ago, though NERV refers to them exclusively as Unidentified Life Forms…' he snorted as he spied a picture of Kuuga, who was apparently considered Unidentified Life Form no.4 'Not very grateful are they?'

"You can come in now." A kind voice called out, the purple-eyed teen looking up to find a brunette woman in a lab coat with a motherly smile standing in the doorway "Sorry to keep you waiting, Liutennant Lamperouge."

"Not at all." Lelouch assured her, pouring the remains of the god-awful coffee into a nearby potted plant as he got to his feet, deciding to leave his bag in the hallway as he entered the commanders office, standing at attention before the man himself.

"At ease Lieutenant." Gendo muttered, his tone gruff, though not as severe as Lelouch would have expected from a man with his influence "So I understand you had a little run-in with the enemy."

"Nothing serious sir." Lelouch assured him, deciding to play along with the scenario the world had casted him in, at least until he figured out what the hell was going on "Though I've had nicer welcomes."

"Indeed." Gendo mused, and Lelouch thought he caught a glimpse of a wry smile behind the man's hands before he spoke again, inclining his head slightly "I believe you're already acquainted with Major Katsuragi?"

"We've met." Lelouch admitted, turning to regard the purple haired woman with a small smile that caused the woman to blink "She certainly seems good at staying ON TOP of things." He noted, causing Misato's face to light up like her jacket at his implication.

"Quite." Gendo muttered, a brow quirking behind his sunglasses as he eyed the flustered major and the smirking lieutenant analytically, before pressing on with his speech "I've assigned Major Katsuragi as your superior for the duration. You will report directly to her unless I state otherwise. Is that clear?"

"Affirmative, sir." Lelouch complied, pulling off a salute as he felt a shiver of apprehension wash over him from the man's stare. For some strange reason, he got the feeling that Gendo Ikari was not a man to cross.

"Don't let him scare you." The brunette in the lab coat assured him, smiling encouragingly at the teen despite the look she received from her husband for ruining his effect "And I must say Lieutenant Lamperouge, your Japanese is quite impressive."

"It's a talent." Lelouch replied casually, though that was another thing that concerned him. Just how was it that he was fluent in their native language, when to his knowledge he'd never set foot in Japan?

"Major, Rei should be finishing off her tests right about now." The brunette noted to Misato, who had managed to calm herself down and was now glaring silently at the back of Lelouch's head, as if to bore a hole through it "Could you take her home with you?"

"Huh? Oh sure, no problem Yui-san!" Misato agreed, the purple haired major smiling at the older woman "I was actually going to do that anyway, Shin-chan and I are having a bit of a party later today."

"Oh my that sounds like fun!" Yui exclaimed, though Lelouch thought he saw Gendo twitch in his seat, his brooding expression deepening at the word 'party', which Yui ignored "Why don't you take Lelouch-kun with you? It'd be a good bonding experience."

"Sure!" Misato agreed, only hesitating for a split second before giving the head of Research and Development a thumbs up, winking at Lelouch as she did so "The more the merrier after all! We can make it his welcome party!"

"If it's all the same to you, major, I'd rather not." Lelouch offered, holding up a hand as he spoke, his tone evasive, as he had a sudden premonition this would be a bad idea "I mean it's been a long day and I really need to get settled in…"

"Sorry, lieutenant, but you're not getting away that easily!" Misato countered, a bemused look on her face as she smirked coyly at the teen "In fact, consider it a direct order from your superior officer."

"Isn't this an abuse of authority?" Lelouch muttered, recognizing the victorious glint in the woman's eye as a sign she was getting back at him for his earlier comment, only to stumble as she grabbed him by the wrist and all but dragged him out of the office and down the hall.

"Such a nice young man." Yui mused, Shinji's mother smiling serenely as Lelouch's cries of protest faded into the distance, turning to beam at her spouse expectantly "Don't you think so dear?"

"A party huh…?" Gendo muttered, shadows forming around him as he shifted into what many referred to as his 'brooding pose 2.0', his sunglasses glinting dangerously as he murmured to himself "Sounds nice…"

"Oh dear…" Yui sighed, used to her husband's theatrical, over-the-top reactions as she leant in and whispered in his ear "You know, knowing Misato, this party's sure to run late…" she blew on his ear "which means we'll have the house to ourselves…"

If anyone could have seen the look on Gendo's face at that moment, shielded as it was by his hands and glasses, it would have practically screamed the word 'Yippee!' in bright neon letters.

* * *

_Outside N.E.R.V..._

Meanwhile, on the ledge of a building overlooking N.E.R.V HQ, a shadowy, caped figure stood in silent vigil, his masked gaze glaring down at the facility like a hawk's.

"Decade…" he muttered, his cloak billowing around him in the evening breeze "I'll see to it that your journey ends here…"

* * *

And there we have it! The first ACTUAL chapter of Code Decade!

For those of you wondering why I picked Evangelion, it was because of a vid I saw on youtube a while back, which matched Kuuga's opening with Cruel Alien Thesis, the opening to Evangelion, and it just seemed to click with Yuusuke's atitude from the Decade show.

Some of you may have noticed several differences to the main series, such as Yui being alive, Gendo not being a bastard and Shinji being more assertive (aka not a pussy), this is because THIS version is based heavily on the 'Shinji Ikari Raising Project Manga', which is another Alternate reality based off the Anime's ending.

One of the reasons I picked that versions was because there WERE no evangelions, to my knowledge (as hinted in an omake at the end of Book 1), but N.E.R.V, and the Human Instrumentality Project, still existed.

I also replaced the Grongi, Kuuga's enemies with downsized versions of the Angels, or 'Shito', which is what they were called in the japanese version of the manga and anime, for that evangelion feel.

For those wondering why Lelouch didn't transform this chapter, relax, he'll henshin soon enough, but for now, previews!

Next time, on Code Decade:

_Kuuga's tale unravels further..._

Kensuke: I heard from my dad that no.4 showed up again.

Toji: Don't gemme wrong, I'm all for th' guy, but there's somethin' bout him that just seems off...

_A question inspires doubt..._

Lelouch: This mysterious 'no.4'…where did he come from? Is he a Shito himself? Or something else?

Shinji: I'm not like those monsters!

_A masked threat approaches..._

?: I've come to warn you of a danger far greater than the Shito...A danger that threatens your entire world…

Misato: U-unidentified Life Form no.4 has been wounded…also…a new Unidentified Life-Form has engaged no.14.

_And a new Rider emerges..._

Kuuga: Who...What are you?

?: Just a passing through Kamen Rider...Remember that!

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	3. Neon Genesis EvangeliKuuga 2

Well, here's another chapter of Code Decade!

Lelouch: That was quick...

Kyugan: When I'm on a roll I like to get things done. But don't worry, I'll try updating the other Geass fics soon.

Kallen: What about the Naruto ones?

Kyugan: Let's wait and see if Sauce-Gay's gonna die in the manga, then we'll see.

C.C: Mmm...childhood friends turned rivals turned bitter enemies...and me without any popcorn...

Kallen: You're sick.

C.C: That's not what you said last night.

Kyugan: Ladies please! *sighs* Roll camera!

* * *

**First Impressions.**

Ayanami Rei, it turned out, was a NERV trainee that worked in the R&D department under Shinji's mother, whom she bore more than a passing resemblance to in Lelouch's opinion.

The girl was dressed in a form-fitting black and white outfit with various plugs all over it, having just come from 'interfacing' with the magi, which Lelouch 'recalled' were a trio of super-computers that had been designed to detect and devise countermeasures against the Shito, though so far Kuuga had been doing most of the legwork, which annoyed the R&D department to no end.

'I suppose I can see where they're coming from.' Lelouch muttered, leaning against the wall outside the ladies locker room as he waited for Rei to change 'I mean, they're getting to paid to devise weapons to take these monsters down, but some unknown variable keeps stepping in before they can field test any of them.' He snorted as he recalled some of the more unsavoury comments 'Budget cuts can be quite the negative PR it seems.'

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Misato called out, snapping the teen out of his thoughts as she walked out of the changing room with Rei, who was now dressed in what appeared to be a school uniform of all things "Rei-chan needed to powder her nose for Shin-chan."

"T-that's not true…" Rei countered, the poor girl's face heating up in embarrassment as she averted her gaze from the purple haired Major's teasing grin, twiddling her fingers in a familliar manner that Lelouch considered particularly adorable despite himself.

"You're too easy Rei-chan." Misato teased, though the major's tone was gentle as she patted the younger woman comfortingly on the shoulder "You and Shin-chan are just so alike it's too cute."

"Um…are you sure Ikari-kun is going to be there?" the pale girl asked, Lelouch wondering, not for the first time, if she dyed her hair or if it was naturally that shade of blue. It didn't seem to fit with what he knew of Albinos, which this girl clearly was from her skin and eye tone.

"Yep!" Misato grinned, winking at the blue haired girl as she spoke "In fact, he's the one that's gonna be cooking this evening!" she pouted sadly "Shame tho, I had this new curry recipe I wanted to try out…"

Lelouch couldn't help but feel a hint of unease at the women's words, which was compounded by Ayanami sighing in apparent relief at the fact the major wasn't cooking. "Anyways!" Misato grinned, rounding on the duo with an infectious smile "Rei, this is Lieutenant Lelouch Lamperouge, he just transferred in from the European branch."

"A pleasure." Lelouch offered, the purple-eyed Lieutennant taking the shy bluenette's hand and kissing it in greeting, much to the poor girl's shock not to mention Misato's ever-present amusement.

"Ease up there Casanova." the purple haired major warned, though her tone was teasing as she stepped between the two teen's pointedly, allowing Rei to step back, her facethe same colour as her eyes "Rei-chan's spoken for."

"Simply saying hello." Lelouch assured the older woman, his tone equally teasing, though he offered a flushing Rei an apologetic nod for her troubles "It's considered good manners to kiss a lady's hand."

"That a fact?" Misato snorted, the purple haired major clearly not buying one word of the younger officer's story as she put her hands on her hips "If that's the case, why didn't you kiss MINE when we met?"

"I was a little preoccupied with your straddling me." Lelouch replied, beginning to enjoy this little battle of the minds, noting from Misato's eye-twitch that he'd landed the first blow "You certainly know how to take command, major."

"A-ANYWAY!" Misato coughed, turning on her heel and marching ahead of them, though Lelouch noticed the tips of her ears turning red "Let's not dawdle shall we? Shin-chan's probably got the rest of the crew together and it wouldn't do to keep 'em waiting!"

"Major Katsuragi…" Rei spoke up, the slight flush that had adorned her features throughout the conversation fading as she pointed down the hallway, in the opposite direction the woman was heading "The car-park is this way."

"Um…I knew that…" Misato stammered, looking royally embarrassed as she backtracked, rubbing the back of her head "Man this place is just so confusing! They should put signs up or something."

"You mean like this one?" Lelouch asked, pointing at a small, but noticeable sign that advertised the location of the Car-park and the waste disposal centre, the latter of which was apparently in the direction the Major had been heading.

"Let's just get to the damn car…" Misato grumbled, the major slumping past the duo in defeat, glaring darkly at Lelouch as she passed, as the Lieutenant was looking a little TOO smug for her tastes.

* * *

_Misato's apartment, Aka 'The Dump'..._

"She's late!" Asuka Langley Sohryu snapped, the volatile German redhead slapping her hands on the table as she got to her feet, glaring at the clock on the wall as if it had personally insulted her "Mien Gott! What kind of host turns up late to her own party?"

"Now Asuka…" Shinji offered, the young man trying to soothe his childhood friend's volatile temper before she did something drastic...like always "Misato-san has duties at the research centre after all."

"Yeah Asuka!" Tohji Suzahara quipped, the track-suit sporting jock's Osaka accent laced with amusement as he once again trashed his bespectacled partner in crime, Kensuke Aida, in a game of Tekken "Quit raggin' on Misato-san! She'll get 'ere when she gets 'ere."

"Was I asking you, stooge?" Asuka snapped, glaring at the jock, who wisely decided to turn back to his game, the redhead calming down under the reproachful stare of her friend, Hikari Horaki "So did Misato say why she was throwing this party Shinji?"

"Uh…nope." Shinji countered, doing his best to avoid eye contact with the redhead as he busied himself with preparing the food. Asuka was his oldest childhood friend, and could always tell when he was hiding something. The fact he'd managed to keep his identity as Kuuga a secret from her was a miracle in his opinion.

"Goddammit!" Kensuke swore, throwing down his controller in defeat as Tohji crowed his victory at the top of his lungs "Say Prof," he called out, using Tohji's nickname for Shinji "I heard from my dad that no.4 showed up again."

"Really?" Shinji asked, trying to feign interest whilst tossing the rice in the pan. Kensuke's dad worked in the NERV Archives, and had a nasty habit of letting his mouth run whenever he got home. Fortunately, the man had the sense not to let anything classified past his lips, but then Kuuga was public knowledge, even if the public was divided on whether or not to hunt him down or throw him a parade.

"Turns out he bagged another one." Kensuke revealed, the military Otaku practically brimming with excitement as he relayed the latest gossip to his friends "Seriously, how can anyone mistake him for one of those things?"

"He obviously ain't human." Tohji replied, grim faced as he challenged Asuka to a match, which as usual, had the two going at it neck and neck "Don't gemme wrong, I'm all for th' guy, but there's somethin' bout him that just seems off."

"Like how he only showed up AFTER the monsters start attacking." Asuka muttered, the redhead's tongue pursing through her lips as she wheedled Tohji's life bar down whilst defending her own "That's just WAY too convenient."

"I think he's great!" Hikari countered, the freckled class rep looking determined, but still uncertain of herself, as she pumped her fists before her, the other hand on her arm "I mean, at least he's doing SOMETHING!"

"Hikari's gots a point dere…" Tohji muttered, the jock cursing as Asuka won the first round "I mean, no disrespects to yer 'rents Prof, but NERV's track record wit' dealin' wit those things ain't exactly…"

'Well that's usually because I've already killed the damned things before they can deploy one of Dad's newest gadgets of the week.' Shinji muttered to himself, externally assuring the jock that it was alright, only to pause, his head tilting to the side as he caught the sound of screeching tires, scraping asphalt, and screaming pedestrians "Misato's back."

"SHIESSE!" Asuka cursed, the fiery tempered German redhead glaring at the screen as Tohji whooped, having landed a Hyper combo in her avatar's face during the distraction "That bitch threw off my concentration!"

"Told ya's Misato-san was my goddess!" Tohji cheered, the estatic jock missing the jealous look a seething Hikari directed his way as he grinned at a fuming Asuka "Tied one apiece Sohryu, ya up fer da final round?"

"HI!" Misato called out, interrupting the redhead's reply as she burst through the door, beaming at the group as she deposited a bag of drinks and goodies on the table "Sorry we're late, figured I'd pick some things up since we've another guest coming."

"Another guest?" Asuka wondered, the redhead turning to face her caretaker, only to scowl as Rei walked in, the bluenette's expression as calm as ever, though her hair looked a little ruffled "Oh…hey Rei."

"Asuka-san." The bluenette greeted, her tone polite, though there was a slight undertone to it. The two of them had never really gotten along, mainly because of their mutual attraction to Shinji, however, they were civil enough around one another.

"Wait…so Ayanami-san's the extra guest?" Hikari wondered, the class rep looking between the rivals for Ikari's heart in confusion "But I thought Ikari said she'd be coming along when we were at school?"

"Oh she's not the extra." Misato grinned, a looking of vindictive glee passing fleetingly over her face as she began setting the drinks out "He's just lagging behind…poor guy got a little carsick."

'Kamikaze Katsuragi strikes again…' the teenagers thought unanimously, levelling deadpan stares at the major, Shinji looking to Rei in concern, to which the bluenette offered a polite, albeit weak smile of reassurance.

"So who is this guy?" Asuka asked, the volatile redhead looking up at Misato in interest as the Major grabbed a can of beer from the shopping bags and chugged it down "Is he young? Or one of your old drinking buddies?"

"Oho! Interested are we?" Misato asked coyly, waggling her eyebrows at Shinji "Careful Shin-chan, looks like you've got competition!" she giggled as Asuka's face turned the same shade as her hair "But to answer your question no, he's not one of my drinking buddies." She sighed in mock sadness "Kid's a lightweight if I ever saw one, got all worked up over a little speeding."

"That wasn't speeding…" a haggard voice declared from the doorway, the group turning to find a young man, only a few years older than them by the look of it, standing there, his hand gripping the doorframe to steady himself "That was a Goddamn Slalom Run!"

"Lulu! You made it!" Misato greeted, the purple haired major grinning unrepentantly at the gasping lieutenant, who glared at her in response, a vein ticking over his eyebrow "Find our land legs did we?"

"I don't know what maniac gave you your license but he was obviously under the influence when he did so." The purple eyed teen muttered, earning a snort of amusement from Asuka, and a cry of outrage from Toji and Kensuke.

"Now, now…" Misato muttered, waving dismissively as she turned round to face the group, a can of Yebisu in her hand "Everyone, this Lieutenant Lelouch Lamperouge. He transferred here from the European Branch and will be my subordinate as of tomorrow."

"So this is his wake then?" Asuka muttered sarcastically, earning a snort of amusement from the others, even as Lelouch and Misato glared at her.

* * *

_Half an hour into the party..._

"So Lamperouge-san." Hikari asked, the freckled class-rep looking over at the, admittedly handsome, freign older teen as the party got underway, her eyes laced with interest "What do you think of Tokyo-2?"

"What little I saw of it during the Katsuragi grand prix seemed pleasant enough." Lelouch muttered, shooting a rejoicing Misato, who was chugging down can after can at the behest of Tohji and Kensuke, a lidded stare "Seriously, how that woman achieved the rank of major is a mystery."

"She's not so bad." Shinji countered meaningfully, though he has the decency to look embarrassed as Lelouch levelled a deadpan stare in his direction "I mean sure she's a little…rowdy at home…" he averted his eyes as Misato winked at him teasingly, her yellow shirt sliding down revealingly "But she always works hard to help people."

"I'll give her that much." Lelouch muttered grudgingly, the faux-lieutennant seeing the point of the younger teen's words, even if he didn't particularly agree with them "God knows she pulled my ass out of the fire during that Shito attack."

"You were there?" Kensuke thrilled, the nerd's sonar-like ear for gossip catching the older teen's words, the military-otaku suddenly in Lelouch's face, microphone in hand "What was it like? How many were there? Did no.4 really take the monster down? Do you know what the thing wanted?"

"I'm fairly certain that's all classified intel." Lelouch replied, sweat dropping at the look on the nerd's face as he pushed the mike aside "And I don't feel like being court-martialled before I even get settled in."

"Ah give th' guy a break Kensuke!" Tohji chastised, the jock shaking his head in bemused disbelief as his friend kept pressing his luck "If Misato-san can't tell us nothin, what makes ya think he can?"

'Quite the way with words that one…' Lelouch muttered, a vein twitching on the side of his head as he glared at the jock; even as Kensuke resumed his seat with a defeated sigh "On the subject…" he muttered, turning to look at Misato "Has anyone been able to figure out what the Shito are after?"

"Shito?" the purple haired major wondered, blinking at the teen in confusion, even as the rest of the group looked amongst themselves in confusion "Is that how the European Branch refer to the Unidentified Life forms?"

"Uh, Yeah…" Lelouch muttered, internally cursing himself for the slip, as he didn't recall anyone at NERV referring to the Shito by their name "They figured 'Unidentified Life-form' was a bit of a mouthful, so they decided to give 'em a handle to go by."

"Certainly easier to pronounce." Asuka muttered, the redhead nodding in approval of her fellow countrymen's supposed logic, though her brows were furrowed in thought "Still…doesn't 'Shito' mean 'Angel'?"

"It basically mean's 'True' or 'Divine' 'Being'." Lelouch countered, earning a nod from Hikari, who looked impressed "Which, when you take into account the amount of damage they can do, isn't all that far off."

"Nothin angelic about 'em!" Tohji scoffed, the jock crossing his arms in disdain "I mean dere was dis one dat showed up at th' beach last time, big as a freakin' killer whale! Nuthin' but teeth n' bad attitude!"

"No.4 showed up to save the day there too!" Kensuke admitted excitedly, the bespectacled military otaku getting into the tale as he leant forward conspiratorially "Took the freak out from the inside!"

"That's another thing to consider…" Lelouch muttered, the teen deciding to have a little fun as he tapped his fingers together as he spoke "This mysterious 'no.4'…where did he come from? Is he a Shito himself? Or something else?"

"NERV's been trying to figure that out for some time now." Misato admitted grimly, sending a covert look to Shinji, which Lelouch almost missed "So far all we've learned is that he considers the Shito, man that IS easier on the mouth, to be enemies."

"The problem then," Lelouch muttered, still tapping his fingers together as he frowned, making careful note of the teen's expression as he continued "is whether or not he sees humans in the same light."

"But…he saves people!" Shinji exclaimed, a little louder than he probably intended, a distressed look on his face as he stared at Lelouch in shock. Surely not EVERYONE associated with N.E.R.V thought he was simply another Unidentified Life Form?

"True…but he usually only shows up whenever the Shito attack." Lelouch pointed out, his tone low and calculating "How do we know he's actively hunting them down? What if he's using people as bait to lure them out?"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Shinji yelled, the irate slapping both hands on the table, knocking plates and glasses all over the place, only to flinch, looking away from the stunned guests as he got to his feet "I…need some air…"

"What in th' heck got inta him?" Tohji wondered, the jock exchanging a look of confusion with Kensuke, who shrugged, equally stumped, as Shinji stumbled out the door of Misato's apartment at a run.

'Perhaps I went too far...' Lelouch muttered, feeling a twinge of guilt despite himself.

* * *

_Tokyo-2, backstreet near Misato's apartment._

Shinji gasped as he leant against a wall, having run for almost an entire block, his mind awash with the memory of Lelouch's words.

'It's not true…' he whispered, clenching his eyes shut as the memory replayed itself, over and over again like a broken record, how everyone seemed to actually consider that Kuuga, HE, would ever let something like that happen "It's not true!" he yelled, slamming his fist against the wall "I'm not like those monsters!"

"That's very true." A modulated voice agreed, Shinji's eyes snapping open as he spun round, only to find himself alone in the street "You're a very brave young man…Ikari Shinji…or should I say, Kamen Rider Kuuga."

"Who's there?" Shinji yelled, the startled teen backing up against the wall with a curse, his hands coming up above his waist as he summoned his belt, ready to transform if he had to face another opponent "Show yourself!"

"Relax, Ikari-kun, I mean you no harm." The voice assured him, a patch of shadow detaching from a nearby ally, Shinji's eyes narrowing as the shadow drew closer "In fact, I've come to warn you of a great danger, far greater than the Shito."

"Shito?" Shinji repeated, the young Kamen Rider's eyes widening in recognition at the mention of the term he'd heard not less than ten minutes ago "Something worse than those monsters?"

"Indeed." The shadowy figure noted, the sound of a cape billowing in the wind following in his wake as he stepped closer to the teen "A danger that threatens your entire world…"

* * *

_Back at Misato's apartment building._

"Tadaa!" Misato cheered, the purple haired major grinning as she opened the door to Lelouch's apartment, which was ironically just down the hall from her own "Glad to have ya neighbour!"

"Charmed, I'm sure." Lelouch muttered teasingly, thanking the woman for her help as she excused herself, as Tohji, Kensuke and Hikari needed a lift home and she was the only one with a car, the purple eyed teen sighing in relief as the door closed behind her and turned to face his sparsely decorated apartment. A walk in kitchen, a generic sofa and coffee table in the living room, a bathroom off to the side with the bedroom just down the hall from it.

'What a day…' he muttered, sinking onto his couch with an exhausted sigh as he recalled everything that had transpired 'Just what the hell am I doing here? And how the hell do I know what I know?' his eyes narrowed in realization 'That guy with the glasses…' he muttered, growling low in his throat at the memory of the bespectacled teen 'He's gotta be behind this somehow…no way he isn't with the stuff he gave me…'

With that in mind, he turned his attention to his duffle bag, within which he's stashed the weird belt buckle and book that the man had given him. Whatever the weird device was, it had a built in belt that latched into place whenever the buckle was set at waist level, and a slot for the mechanical book to attach to.

'A bit high-tech to be a simple fashion accessory…' he muttered, frowning at the buckle as he ran a finger over the weird symbols on the front, nine in all, before turning his attention to the book, opening it to find it contained nothing more than several slots, which were filled with cards.

'Faded out?' he wondered, his eyes narrowing once again as he shuffled through the cards, noting with annoyance that most of them seemed to be clouded, like a negative that had been developed badly, only to pause as he came across a small handful that weren't.

Suddenly, the cell phone he'd been supplied with from NERV sounded, the teen whipping it out to find a 'Blue' pattern displayed on the screen, even as he heard Misato's Car tear out of the driveway, to the sound of screaming cats and pedestrians.

'Well now…' he muttered, smirking coyly as his gaze shifted from the screen to a particular card in his hand 'What say we see what these things can do…'

* * *

_A backroad leading into Tokyo 2_

"S-sempai…" Maya Ibuki whimpered, the young technician looking on in horror as the monster that attacked their car finished strangling her colleague, who's arm was dangling limply out of the open door "N-No…"

"Feh…another pathetic Lillim." Their assailant muttered, the Shito dropping it's prey in derision as it turned to face the distraught Maya, it's thin, foil-like arms retreating back into it's body as it glared at her dismissively, only to halt as the sound of a roaring engine drew nearer.

'Thank God!' Maya prayed, her eyes widening in relief as she turned to gaze at the cavalry as Misato's Blue Renault Alpine blasted out of the tunnel behind the monster like something out of the Dukes of Hazard.

"Another meddling Lillim…" the Shito muttered, it's skull like features impassive as it simply levitated over the car turning to face it as it came to a halt, shielding Maya from view as the driver climbed out.

"Unidentified Life Form no.9 has been sighted!" Misato announced into her radio, the purple haired major scowling at the sight of the totalled car, and the limp hand that dangled from the wreckage "Confirmed fourth female victim!"

"Affirmative." Gendo's voice replied over the radio, the commander sounding a little grumpier than usual, as if this emergency had caught him at a bad time "Reinforcements are on the way, ETA in ten minutes."

"Make it faster…" Misato muttered, the major's features decidedly grim as she levelled her gun at the monstrosity, for all the good it would do, watching as it advanced on her and the trembling Maya "Stay back!"

"You think that toy can scare me?" the Shito muttered, Misato's brow frowning at the unfamiliar dialect, her grip tightening around her firearm as the foil-arms came into view once more, it's eyes lighting up with a snarl "Begone, pests!"

"Misato-san!" a voice called out, the group looking up just in time to see Kuuga, riding a modified motorbike, come racing onto the scene, sending the Shito stumbling backwards as he screeched to a halt before them.

"Kuuga…" the Shito growled, the eye sockets of its mask lighting up in angered anticipation, as the foil arms extended even further, trembling alongside it like ribbons in the breeze "I've been waiting for this."

"Bring it!" Kuuga growled, dismounting from his machine, taking the brace with him as his armour changed from red to purple-lined silver, the handlebar morphing into a sword as he charged his foe the blade deflecting the foil arms with a spray of sparks.

"Major Katsuragi!" Gendo called out, the commander's sharp bark snapping Misato out of her daze, the major cursing as she realized she'd been holding the 'send' button down this entire time "What's going on?"

"Unidentified Life form no.4 has engaged no.14 in battle." Misato replied, grimacing as Kuuga took a rather savage blow to the side of the helmet that sent him sprawling against the railing "However, no.14 seems to have the upper hand."

"The reinforcements are on their way Major." Gendo assured her, the commander's tone grim at the mention of this new development in the scenario "If no.4 manages to destroy the target before then, try to detain him for questioning."

"Sir…" Misato began, only to sigh as the man cut off, doubtlessly sending word to the reinforcements to capture Kuuga on sight for interrogation 'Dammit…it isn't fair…why can't they see that Shinji's on their side?'

At that moment, Kuuga lunged forward, intent on driving his sword through the core of the Shito, an act that had always resulted in a one-hit kill, only to gape as a powerful membrane snapped over it, deflecting the sword, causing it to scrape harmlessly off to the side.

"Shimatta!" the Rider cursed, moving to leap back out of harms way, only for the foil arms to lash out, slicing into his flank and arm, knocking him out of the air, his armour shifting from purple to a weak, faded white as he lay there, holding his injuries, his sword clattering to the ground, reverting to the brace as his foe loomed closer.

"I've waited a long time for this…" the Shito gargled, it's tone expectant as it towered over the fallen rider, only to stumble as several shots slammed into it's back, passing through the hexagonal field that protected it like paper "Who-?"

"Looks like the party started without me…" a bemused voice noted, the small gathering turning to the tunnel at the opposite end of the path, where a figure was steadily walking closer, a strange device held in his hand "Oh well, better late than never."

"You bastard…" the Shito growled, turning to face the newcomer, it's foil arms lashing out like enraged serpents as it charged, it's eyes tearing through the darkness like beacons "You'll pay for that!"

"Cheques in the mail." The figure mocked, the Shito lunging forwards with a keening cry, arms lashing out to rip the opponent to shreds, only for him to jump over the Shito, an amazing leap that drew a gasp of surprise from a stunned Maya, landing behind the monster and delivering a sharp spin-kick to it's unprotected back, sending it crashing face first into the floor of the tunnel.

* * *

_With Misato..._

Misato blinked, staring at the newcomer in alarm, as he was finally revealed outside the shadows of the tunnel. He was garbed in a peculiar suit of armour, the main colour of which was either a very dark pink, or a very light purple, she couldn't tell in due to the lighting, with white and black highlights, Tesla bands adorning his wrists and ankles. His helmet was adorned with several barcode like stripes, two of which rose in the simulation of horns, with a smaller one between them, a yellow gem at it's top, and was set with a pair of large, glowing green eyes. Around his waist lay a belt with a peculiar white buckle, and in his hand rested a peculiar firearm that resembled a book for some reason.

"Major, what's your status?" Gendo demanded, the Commander's gruff voice snapping the purple haired woman out of her daze as she took in the breath she hadn't realized she was holding "what's going on?"

"U-unidentified Life Form no.4 has been wounded…" Misato stammered, her eyes flicking to Kuuga's prone form in concern, before flicking back to the fight "also…a new Unidentified Life-Form has engaged no.14."

"Another one?" Yui wondered, the head of R&D sounding both surprised and intrigued by this latest development, as they hadn't expected so many targets to appear on the scene "Can you describe it?"

"It's…pink…" Misato managed, a bead of sweat running down her brow, as that was really all she could think of to describe this newest apparition as it ducked under the Shito's foil arms once more, it's firearm shifting into a sword-like weapon as it slashed at the creature's flanks, actually severing one of the arms from the main body.

* * *

_Back to the battle._

"Damn you!" no.14 snarled, the limbless, hovering Shito staggering back, dark blood dripping from it's sword wounds, and a crack evident on it's skull like face from where it's opponent's blade had struck home "What the hell are you?"

"Who knows?" the green-eyed apparition muttered in the Shito's own language, startling the monster as he tapped his sword against his palm with a detached air, "Stronger than you that's for sure."

"You bastard!" the Shito snarled, lunging forwards, it's remaining arm trailing behind it like a streamer as it rushed it's adversary in a blind charge. Said adversary, with a calm that showed he thought little of the Shito's last-ditch attack, calmly stepped forwards, planting his sword in the road for leverage as he ducked under the foil-arm, delivering a savage kick to the Shito's unprotected core before the membrane could snap shut over it, cracking it and sending the monster sprawling on it's back.

"Pathetic…" he muttered, retrieving his weapon, which shifted back into book form as he flipped it open, drawing a card from within before clipping the device back at his side "If something like you can give the kid trouble then I seriously overestimated him."

That said, he gripped the sides of his buckle, the levers opening out as the main body spun ninety degrees so that a corner was pointing upwards, revealing a slot, which he slipped the card into, before pushing the levers back into place.

**"Final Attack Ride:"** the belt called out, several gold, rectangular panels forming between the two, the same symbol that adorned the card in the centre **"D-D-D-DECADE!"**

At those words the green-eyed warrior leapt up, the symbols following him as he rose, forming a diagonal line between him and the Shito, which had risen shakily off the ground. With a yell, the warrior launched himself forward with a flying kick, passing through the symbols, picking up speed as he went, his body shining as he passed through the final one, delivering a savage kick to the Shito's core, punching through the armoured membrane like it was fine china, sending the monster sailing backwards with a scream, landing in a crouch as it detonated, lighting up the dark tunnel a fiery red.

"That's that…" the figure muttered, getting to his feet with a dismissive sigh and dusting off his hands theatrically, before walking torwards the tunnel, as if planning to dissapear into the flames.

"M-Matte…" a haggard sounding voice called out, the green-eyed warrior turning slightly to look over his shoulder at the white-armoured Kuuga, who'd managed to stagger to his feet, one arm gripping his wounded flank, the other hanging limply at his side "Why…did you destroy a fellow Unidentified Life form?"

"Do I look like a Shito to you?" the green-eyed warrior asked snidely, tilting his head at the injured rider as if he were an idiot, before shrugging his shoulders dismissively "Or would you rather I let it kill you?"

"Who are you?" Kuuga demanded, the injured rider's tone suspicious as he staggered forward, only to collapse on one knee, a concerned Misato unable to go to his aid because of Maya's presence "Where did you come from?"

"Who am I?" the green-eyed warrior repeated, as if actually thinking the question over, before turning round and walking off "Just a passing through Kamen Rider…" he waved mockingly at the injured rider as he walked "Remember that."

* * *

_In the shadows..._

Unbeknownst to the group, the shadowy figure stood perched on a rocky outcropping just above the stretch of road where the fight had taken place. He watched, silently as the mysterious rider walked into the tunnel, his hidden gaze boring into the man's back as he disappeared into the shadows.

"Decade…" he muttered, his cloak billowing in the night-time breeze, "Enjoy this victory while you can…the next foe won't be so easy."

And with that, he stepped back, the shadows enveloping him as the NERV VTOL finally appeared on the horizon, a haggard Kuuga clambering onto his bike and riding off before they could hold him for questioning.

* * *

And so another chapter comes to a close, and at long last, our first glimpse at the new Rider!

C.C: He looks hot in pink.

Lelouch: It's not pink dammit!

Dan: Aho! Don't you know only REAL men can wear pink?

Kallen: Who's this loser?

Dan: MAYRIMASHTA-!

Kyugan: Yare-Yare...

Next time on Code Decade:

_A new player arrives on stage!_

Kensuke: A fifteenth unidentified Life Form showed up last night!

Asuka: Another one?

_Secrets kept buried beneath..._

Maya: That's Terminal Dogma. Only the Commander, Sub-commander, and Ikari-sensei have access clearance.

Lelouch: Interesting...

_A Deadly Game..._

Lelouch: The victims have another thing in common…

Yui: If this is right, then the next victim will...!

_A Clandestine meeting..._

Lelouch: Yo, Major. Nice evening, isn't it?

_And a fierce battle commences..._

Decade: What the hell was that for?

Kuuga: Decade...I will defeat you!

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	4. Neon Genesis EvangeliKuuga 3

Three Geass Updates in a row...I'm on a roll.

Lelouch: *Smirking as his geass dies down* Indeed you are.

C.C: Make him do the caramel dansen next.

Lelouch: One time use remember?

Kallen: Dammit...

* * *

**Dark Sabbath.**

"Oh My God! Ikari-kun!" Hikari Horaki exclaimed, the freckled Class-Rep clapping her hands over her mouth in shock as the teen limped into the classroom, followed by a concerned Asuka and Rei, his right arm hanging in a sling and his face sporting several small bruises "What happened?"

"Christ Prof," Tohji winced, the tracksuit-clad jock looking his wiry friend over in concern as the younger Ikari drew closer, his eyebrows rising in alarmed apreciation "Youse get inta a fight with a sumo wrestler or somethin'?"

'Or Something.' Shinji muttered, wincing internally even as he smiled reassuringly at the group, rubbing the back of his neck "It's my own fault," he lied "I was in such a rust yesterday I tripped over my own two feet going down the stairs."

"BAKA!" Asuka snapped, the redheaded teen smacking her childhood friend upside the head, her face lined with anger, though her eyes betrayed her concern "You could have broken your neck, Dumpkoff!"

"Ease up there Asuka." Kensuke urged placatingly, even as Rei looked Shinji over, shooting the redhead a lidded stare "I mean he's injured enough as is, don't need to go adding brain damage to the list."

"Yeah! I needs his brain ta gets me through the mid-terms!" Tohji pointed out, which earned a round of bemused groans from the group, which was exactly the reaction the jock had been looking for. Shinji wasn't the type who liked being fussed over.

"You know, you wouldn't need me if you'd open your textbooks once in a while." Shinji pointed out, turning to his taller, more athletic friend with a wry smirk "They aren't just for hiding porno mags you know."

"I don't read pornos!" Tohji exclaimed, only to wilt under the deadpan stares from Shinji, Asuka and Kensuke "Alright I don't read 'em in SCHOOL," he corrected, sighing dreamily as he clasped sat backwards on his chair, his chin resting on his arms "'sides, who needs porn when we can stare at Misato-sensei all day."

"SU-ZA-HA-RA-!" Hikari growled, the freckled girl surrounded by an a dangerous red aura as she loomed behind the suddenly nervous jock, her pigtails rising behind her as she jabbed her thumb into the side of his neck "LAUGHING PREASSURE POINT!"

"Pfffffffffft-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!" Tohji cackled, the unfortunate jock collapsing across his desk, his face stretched in a rictus of pained laughter as Hikari stood over him, the frecled class rep fuming silently.

"Yeesh Iincho," Kensuke muttered, the bespectacled military otaku sweat dropping as his best friend slipped off the desk to land on the floor, still laughing his ass off as he convulsed like a landed trout "Was that really necessary?"

"You wanna join him?" Hikari warned, the frecked girl turning to face the nerd with a warning look in her eyes, her thumb raised at the ready, to which Kensuke shook his head hurriedly, his eyes wide with alarm.

"Er, no thanks, I'm good." He assured her, sighing in relief as she lowered her thumb, before turning to face the others "By the way, did you hear?" he asked, speaking up to be heard over Tohji's manic cackles "A fifteenth Unidentified Life Form showed up last night!"

"Another one?" Asuka muttered, the redheaded german teen shaking her fiery locks in annoyance as she crossed her arms with a huff "Mein Gott, what is with this country and random monster attacks?"

"Get this though." Kensuke noted, ignoring the redhead's statement in favor of leaning in conspiratorially "Apparently this one's like no.4, in that it attacked another Shito after it had mopped the floor with no.4."

"Wait," Tohji gasped, the poor jock having finally stopped laughing as he clambered to his feet, using his desk for support as he clamped a hand over his neck "So youse sayin' this new guy's stronger than no.4?"

"Could be." Kensuke agreed, the militar otaku so caught up in his gossiping that he failed to notice the growing frown on Shinji's face "Word is the NERV higher ups are making no.15's capture priority 1."

"How the heck do you learn this stuff?" Asuka muttered, the volatile redhead turning to level a suspicious glare at the four-eyed stooge, who wilted back slightly "I mean, Misato never tells us any of this, and she's a major!"

"It's simple," Kensuke boasted, pushing his glasses up with a confident smirk "I hacked the mainframe using my dad's password." He pushed his chest out with a confident laugh, his hands on his hips "There isn't a computer program around that I can't crack!"

"That's nothing to be proud of Aida!" Hikari snapped, her thumb jabbing the military Otaku in the neck, sending him into a series of pained cackles, the rest of the group shaking their head at the boy's misfortune, even as Misato entered the classroom.

* * *

_N.E.R.V R&D..._

"So this is the MAGI…" Lelouch muttered, the lieutenant quirking an eyebrow at the three massive terminals that occupied an entire room of their own. Lining the wall on all sides were computer terminals, behind which sat countless technicians, whose purpose was to filter the flow of information coming from the supercomputers, keeping an eye out for any signs of a Shito attack.

"Isn't it amazing?" Maya Ibuki asked, the brunette having been assigned as his tour guide of the facility in Misato's absence "Ikari-sensei is amazing, she designed them herself with next to no help!"

"Ikari…?" Lelouch repeated, the purple-eyed faux Lieutennant recalling the motherly looking woman in the labcoat that had stood beside the commander during his introduction "As in the commander's wife?"

"That's her." Maya agreed, turning to smile at the younger lieutenant approvingly as she held up a finger for emphasis "She's also Rei-chan's caretaker, since they're distantly related and her parents passed away."

"If that's the case, why's her son staying with Major Katsuragi?" Lelouch asked, looking over at the older Lieutennant in confusion, his brows furrowed in thought "They having problems at home?"

"Oh no!" Maya countered, the young woman shaking her head in denial "Not at all, the Ikari's love Shinji-kun to no end!" she looked downcast "It's just, with all these Unidentified Life Forms popping up…"

"Shito." Lelouch countered, earning a look of confusion from the female lieutenant as he elaborated, "They're called Shito…or at least that's what the European Branch have learned from their research."

"I see!" Maya exclaimed, the older Lieutennant's eyes widening in surprise "Well that's certainly a lot easier to pronounce." she admitted with a smile "In fact, most of us were trying to decide what to call them by lottery."

"I saw." Lelouch muttered, shaking his head in disbelief at the sight of a ballet box that had been set up in the corner of the lab, where even now the occasional techie dropped in a suggestion "Who came up with this idea?"

"The commander." Maya revealed, smiling weakly at the younger lieutenant's arched brow and disbelieving stare as she rubbed the back of her neck "He's a little…eccentric, but his ideas usually end up working."

"Right…" Lelouch muttered, drastically re-evaluating his opinion of Ikari senior as he followed Maya out of the Magi room, making their way towards the cafeteria, only to pause as he noticed another hallway, off to the side "what's down there?"

"Hm? Oh! That's Terminal Dogma." Maya noted, following his gaze with a frown "Sorry but we're not authorized to go down there, only the Commander, Sub-commander, and Ikari-sensei have access clearance."

"Really?" Lelouch wondered, the faux Lieutennant's eyebrow quirking archly as he gazed down the deserted hallway, his purple eyes seeming to glow as he felt some...unnatural presence calling out to him "Interesting…"

"Lamperouge-kun." Maya called out, the elder Lieutennant snapping the teen out of his thoughts as she looked up at him with a nervous smile "It's getting close to lunch, so you wanna grab a bite? My treat?"

"I never turn down a meal with a beautiful woman." Lelouch accepted, smiling at the older, though not by much, woman as her face turned a bright, embarassed scarlet "And call me Lelouch, we're colleagues, right?"

"Ah…sure…" Maya stammered, the elder Lieutennant turning her head shyly to the side to avoid looking him in the eyes, gripping the files under her arms tightly "Whatever you say…Lelouch-kun…"

'Well she's easy enough to get along with.' Lelouch noted, following after his, admittedly cute, senior at a sedate pace, his hands in his pockets as he let his mind wander 'Still, this facility…it's rather undermanned for a stronghold of humanity.'

Undermanned, that is, in regards to security; Other than a few token guards here and there, the only people Lelouch had seen walking the halls were Techies, assistants, overall-sporting maintenance crews, and lab-coat sporting researchers.

'At the very least they give us weapons…' he muttered, eyeing the sidearm on Maya's hip with approval. He'd yet to be issued one yet, and didn't think he'd be stinking around long enough to see one anyways. A hunch told him that whatever he was doing in Kuuga's world, it wouldn't be for much longer.

"Here we are!" Maya chirped, Lelouch looking round the massive cafeteria with interest, noting that despite the lunch hour, there were only a few people there "Most of the higher-ups are all attending Ikari-sensei's report, so we've got the place to ourselves…almost."

"Report?" Lelouch queried, the purple-eyed teen following the older lieutennant to the trays, nodding offhandedly at the cooking staff as they loaded him up with beef bowl, rice, and miso soup "What Report?"

"Oh don't worry, it's not for us." Maya assured him, a small smile on her face as she led him to a table "All the higher ups and those with military training are simply undergoing a session regarding the string of murders."

"The ones the Shito killed." Lelouch muttered in understanding, earning a confused look from Maya, which he ignored, sinking into his seat with a frown, his arms crossed before him as he held his chin.

"Lelouch-kun was lucky that Misato-san arrived in time." Maya insisted, having heard the rumors about her new Kohai's first day in Tokyo-2, her features slowly sinking as she spoke "Too bad sempai…"

"The woman that was with you, right?" Lelouch noted, his tone soft, almost apologetic as he recalled the murdered woman, a Doctor Ritsuko Akagi of the R&D department if he remembered right, even Maya slumped "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Maya assured him, the elder Lieutennant putting on a brave smile as she looked up at Lelouch, her hands playing idly with her food as she spoke "Sempai…went down fighting at least."

"Sounds like quite a woman." Lelouch noted, smiling offhandedly he looked across at his senior, earning a grateful smile for his sentiment "Got a picture?" he asked, interested to learn as much as he can.

"I actually have her file right here." Maya noted, lifting up the folders she'd been carrying with her "Along with all the other victims, Ikari-sensei wanted me to make photocopies earlier for the meeting."

"Mind if I see those?" Lelouch asked, nodding his thanks as Maya passed them over, the purple eyed teen's eyes narrowing slightly as he looked over the information of the murdered women 'huh…nothing too spectacular to look at,' he mused, his eyes flicking over their Id portraits, which were marred by a red 'KIA' stamp, the purple eyed lieutenant taking a sip of his coffee, choking in disgust 'God that's foul!'

"It's so strange…" Maya muttered, fiddling with her food as Lelouch glared balefully at his coffee cup "Why was there a Shito there last night? It was nowhere near the usual areas they turn up…almost like it was waiting for us."

"Like a hunter stalking it's prey…" Lelouch muttered, pursing his lips to rid himself of the taste of the foul coffee, only to blink, his eyes lighting up with sudden understanding as he smiled at the woman "Maya, you're a genius!"

"I am?" Maya blinked, looking at the teen in confusion, only to gasp as he stood up and marched out of the canteen "Ah, Lelouch-kun! Wait up!"

* * *

_Darkened Amphitheatre..._

"The situation is grave…" Gendo muttered, his fingers held in their trademark pose before his face as he loomed behind his desk. How on earth he managed to loom while sitting down was a mystery to the other occupants, one that they didn't feel inclined to figure out.

"Up until now there have been no signs of co-ordination in the attacks from the unidentified Life Forms." Yui explained to the attendees, apparently the only one unaffected by her husband's theatrics "However, over the past fortnight, there have been four deliberate attacks." She changed the slide to reveal pictures of the various crime scenes "All of the victims to date have been women, all four where strangled to death or had their necks broken."

"So far as we know, none of these women had anything in common with one another." Gendo muttered, the light from the slideshow casting a shadow across his already grim, darkened features "Save that all four were employed by NERV."

"The Unidentified Life-forms are obviously targeting us for a reason." Yui murmured, the head of the R&D department's features lined with concern as she stared at the screen "What could they possibly want?"

"It's a game…" a voice called out, the lights snapping on, causing the attendees, with the exception of Gendo, who once again revelled in his choice of eyewear, to flinch, revealing Lelouch standing by the door, a paper coffee cup in one hand.

"Game?" Gendo repeated, frowning at the new lieutenant in disapproval for ruining the effect he had going, didn't any of these young kids understand ambiance these days? "What do you mean? Lieutenant Lamperouge?"

"I noticed something a little weird when I read the reports…" Lelouch muttered, walking past the confused attendees, a nervous Maya following in his wake "The victims have another thing in common…"

"Well what is it?" Misato demanded, the purple haired major looking at the young lieutenant expectantly, only to twitch, her eyes narrowing in annoyance as he ignored her, taking a sip from his coffee 'Little Prick!'

"God this stuff's terrible…" Lelouch muttered, grimacing as he finished the cup and crushed it, tossing it into a nearby bin "With all the money you throw into the R&D department, you'd think they'd learn how to make a better cup of coffee."

"The trend, Lieutenant Lamperouge?" Yui asked patiently, looking pointedly at the teen in that manner all mothers possess, while Gendo made a mental note to have the coffee machine looked at. That stuff WAS pretty rank.

"Right," Lelouch muttered, turning to the whiteboard that had been set up, the pictures of the four victims set in order from top to bottom "I actually noticed the trend when I was going over the victim's personal information…namely their birth dates."

"Birthdays?" Misato repeated, even as the rest of the attendees looked between themselves in confusion, while Gendo merely quirked an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself "what're you talking about?"

Lelouch smirked, grabbing a marker from the podium Yui had set up "The first one was born on the 13th." He revealed, scribbling the number next to her picture "The next on the 27th, the third on the 5th, and the most recent was born on the 26th."

"I fail to see how this has anything to do with the case." Gendo pointed out, his tone making it clear he didn't appreciate his time being wasted, especially not by subordinates "We're not here to play games, Lieutenant Lamperouge."

"Maybe you should," Lelouch countered, smirking wryly at the man, even as the attendees gaped at him like he was mental, though Yui quirked an eyebrow "Then perhaps you'd have been able to save these women."

"I fail to see what you mean." Yui cut in, her tone patient as she stepped in front of her husband, who was beginning to show signs of his old brawler temper, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him before looking Lelouch in the eye "Please elaborate."

Lelouch smirked, a cheeky little smile of someone who knows he's about to make a lot of people feel foolish, as he took a red marker from the podium and began circling the numbers "Mi-Na-Go-Ro…" he recited, closing off the circle, before writing in another number, four "Shi."

"Mina Goroshi?" Misato recited, as the auditorium erupted into frantic whispers, the major's eyes widening at such a simple pattern, as the last clue finally fell into place before them "Kill everyone?"

"I told you," Lelouch muttered, capping the pens once more as he turned to smirk at the stunned Major "This is all a game to them. If you want to get ahead, we need to at least know the rules."

"Amazing…" Yui gaped, the head of R&D humbled by how easily the young Lieutenant had made the connection. All this time it had been staring her in the face! "If this is right, then the next victim will have the number 4 in her birth date!"

"Yui." Gendo called out, the commander's features grim, though lined with an intensity that was awe-inspiring "Check the female employee registers, get me a list of all those with 4, 14 or 24 in their Birthdates." He turned to Misato "Major Katsuragi, I want you to recall all female agents in the field or on leave that are on that list, tell them to either report to NERV immediately or remain indoors and wait for evacuation!"

"Was I any help?" Lelouch asked, smirking coyly as the Major turned to face him, the woman's features lined with confused wonderment "Of course I can't take all the credit, Maya's the one that helped me put the pieces together."

"It…it was nothing…" Maya insisted, the shy Lieutennant lowering her gaze in embarrassment, the folders clutched tightly in her hands as she blushed at the attention she was receiving from her peers.

"Nonsense," Lelouch insisted, patting the older woman on the shoulder, leading her out of the room with a smile "Now, I believe you still owe me a lunch…"

* * *

_Misato's Apartment..._

"I'm back…" Misato called out, sighing in relief as she finally got through the door of her apartment, ditching her coat and shoes in the foyer. The commander had everyone pulling double shifts since that last meeting, since there was a lot a ground to cover if they were going to prevent whatever the hell it was the Shito were up to.

"Wilkommen…" Asuna greeted lethargically, the redhead lounging in her school uniform on the sofa, watching some German soap opera on the cable "Schiesse…she was sleeping with your best friend you Dumpkof! Dump her already!"

"Welcome back, Misato-san." Shinji greeted, smiling encouragingly at the woman from the kitchen. He was still a little tender from his fight a few days ago, but his arm no longer required a sling, and his side only hurt if you poked it "Long day?"

"Beer. Food. NOW." Misato grumbled, sinking into one of the kitchen chairs in a boneless heap, her forehead resting on the tabletop as Shinji, with a long suffering air, popped a can of yebisu and set it within reach, the major chugging it back like it was ambrosia.

"You really shouldn't be drinking so much, Misato-san." Shinji muttered, only to sigh as Misato gestured for another, still chugging down the first, the teen doing as commanded without having to be reminded again.

"YEEEHAAAW!" the major barked at last, setting aside the third can with a heartfelt cheer as she sank back in her seat with a relaxed, satisfied smile "Now THAT, Shinji, is something to look forward to after a long day's work."

"Whatever you say…" Shinji muttered, the younger Ikari and de-facto cook of the flat-mates picking up the hastily discarded cans and tossing them in a disposable bag, before turning his attention back to the stove "Dinner'll be ready in just a bit."

"You're a marvel Shin-chan." Misato praised, the purple haired major coming up behind the flustered teen and pecking him on the cheek, giggling as he flushed scarlet at the feeling of her breasts against the back of his neck "You'll make a good wife someday!"

"OUT!" Shinji snapped, his face beet red as he chased the major out of the kitchen, his sanctum sanctorum, waving a ladle threateningly in her general direction, his features oddly reminiscent of his sire in his rage "And don't come in till I call you!"

"He's so fun." Misato snickered, missing the heated glare she was getting from Asuka, who looked torn between annoyance and jealousy as she opened her mouth, only to trail off as the hall phone sounded.

"Not me." Asuka muttered, turning her back on the older woman before Misato could ask the redhead to answer it, leaving the purple haired major to grumble as she trudged over to do it herself.

"Hello, Katsuragi residence." The major greeted, only to blink as she recognized the voice on the other end "Lulu? Is that you?" she giggled at his response "Calm down Lulu, it's only a nickname." She smirked coyly "Hey! I'm your superior remember? I could have you court-martialed for that." She leant against the wall "So is this a business call, or were you just lonely?" she asked, tone coy, only to blink, her eyes widening in alarm "What do you mean there's a chance you were wrong? Where are you…What the hell're you doing all the way out…never mind I'm on my way!"

"Misato-san?" Shinji called out, the only male in the flat having come to see what all the noise was about, only to blink as the major brushed past him, pulling on her jacket and shoes at a dead run "What's wrong?"

"Lelouch just rang." Misato muttered, her tone decidedly grim as she double-checked her Glock for ammo, before holstering it with a snap "He thinks he might have made a mistake regarding the Shito's aims."

"What?" Shinji gaped, looking alarmed at the very prospect as Misato slipped out the door. At this very moment, most of NERV's resources were tied up guarding those female employees with the number 4 in their birth date. If another Shito attacked elsewhere, they wouldn't be able to react in time.

His features hardening, the younger Ikari threw his apron aside and raced out the door, yelling a half-baked apology over his shoulder at Asuka, who stood gaping after him in alarmed confusion.

* * *

_A hill overlooking Tokyo 2..._

"Yo, Major." Lelouch greeted, the purple eyed lieutenant dressed in a red denim jacket, over a dark purple T-shirt and black pants, his weird, glyph sporting sneakers on his feet as he sat on a guardrail that overlooked Tokyo-2, watching the purple haired woman climb out of her car "Nice evening, isn't it?"

"Can the pleasantries Lieutenant." Misato cut in, her tone strictly business as she marched up to the purple-eyed teen, a frown on hr face and her arms crossed "What the hell were you talking about over the phone?"

"Business before pleasure is it?" Lelouch sighed, his tone mocking as he sprung lightly to his feet, pulling a folded map out of his pocket and opening it wide, before holding it out to the woman "See for yourself."

Misato frowned, accepting the map and looking it over, only to blink as she espied several names written around NERV HQ, four in all "What is this?"

"The victims were all killed in a specific pattern in specific areas." The lieutenant explained, getting to his feet and walking around the major, like a prowling cat "All of the locations were the same distance, roughly, from NERV HQ, and if you look close, you see they make a pattern." He turned and pointed at the lit structure of NERV HQ in the distance "Following that pattern and those parameters, it's save to assume that the next area they plan to attack…" he spread his arms wide "is right here."

"Eh?" Misato blinked, looking at the teen in confusion, though before she could ask what he meant, the sound of a motorbike engine cut through the night, the duo looking up to see a familiar motorbike coming towards them "Shinji!"

"What's going on here, Misato-san?" the commander's son asked, pulling off his helmet as he looked between the two in confusion, and if he were honest with himself, concern "Did something happen?"

"Not yet." Lelouch countered, though his tone was more ominous than reassuring "You see, there's a distinct pattern to the attacks. They're all equidistant from NERV HQ, all the victims are women…and all of them, at some point, had some form of military experience." He nodded at their looks of confusion "Maya-san's sempai was attacked, but rather than killing Maya off too, the Shito pretty much ignored her."

"Now that you mention it…" Misato muttered, her brow furrowing as she held her chin in contemplation "Some of the murders took place in public, but the Shito involved didn't go on rampages like they normally do."

"It's a game…" Lelouch insisted, the purple eyed teen smiling smugly as he continued to pace around the duo, his hands clasped behind his back "Or rather, a ritual, at least that's what I've learned from them."

"Learned?" Misato repeated, her eyes widening in sudden comprehension "You mean the European Branch has managed to translate their language?" she blinked "Wait…then what was with the 'Kill Everyone' theory?"

"A little ruse I played." Lelouch scoffed, his smirk widening at their looks of shock "The victim's birth dates were meaningless, all this 'game' requires is that five women with fighting ability be killed in five different locations, all equidistant from NERV HQ."

"A pentagram?" Misato muttered, her eyes flicking over the map the teen had given her in growing comprehension "I get it…you lied about the Birth dates in order to have the commander quarantine the women inside NERV HQ."

"But…Misato-san…" Shinji spoke up, the commander's son's face suddenly turning a deathly pale in the waning evening light as he gaped at the purple haired Major in growing alarm "If that's the case…"

"Then you're the only female NERV officer NOT inside HQ." Lelouch finished, his eyes grim as the duo tensed, Shinji stepping in front of Misato, only to smirk and turn to look over his shoulder "Isn't that right? You two?"

_"He knew we were here…Otsu…"_ a voice hissed, Misato and Shinji tensing at the unfamiliar language of the Shito, as two identical monstrosities climbed out of the woodwork. They were similar in shape to no.3, only red and orange, rather than green and black. Their masks had three eye holes each, in mirror-image of one another.

_"It matters not…Kou…"_ the orange one rattled, it's eyes locking onto Misato, who gripped her firearm in preparation as it continued to advance on them _"Once we kill the female Lillim, the Ritual will be over."_

_"Two on one is it?"_ Lelouch called out, the purple eyed lieutennant smirking sardonically as the twin angels shambled towards them at a slow, almost mocking pace as he snorted _"Hardly seems sporting."_

"Misato-san!" Shinji called out, stepping in front of the major, his features set in a determined scowl as he prepared to summon his belt, only to blink as Lelouch placed a hand on his shoulder and shoved him out of the way.

"Sorry." The elder teen offered, his features neutral as he looked Misato in the eye, the major blinking up at him in confusion, only to choke as Lelouch reared back and punched the stunned Major in the nose.

"Misato-san!" Shinji cried, gaping at the woman as she doubled over, clutching her nose, before rounding on Lelouch, his face a mask of anger that made his resemblance to his father all the stronger "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Partially out of payback for the other day." Lelouch admitted, shrugging off the teen's irate glare with a dismissive snort as he turned to smirk confidently at their opponents "But mainly to save her life."

"Wha-?" Misato stammered, looking up in confusion as blood slipped between her fingers to land on the gravel path. Almost instantly, the twin angels froze, their bodies trembling as if in fear as they stared at the injured woman, the duo keening between themselves, clearly agitated.

"Up till now, the Shito have killed all their targets without shedding a single drop of blood." Lelouch pointed out, smirking as he stepped in front of Shinji and Misato "I thought it was strange that the Shito that attacked ME was determined to do so without damaging me too much." He nodded at the twins, who backed off slowly "It hit me then, that pone of the 'rules' for this little ritual is that they can't spill a drop of Human blood at the specified locations." He smirked at Misato coyly "Too bad for them, I'm the type that holds a grudge."

"You and me both…" Misato grumbled, the purple haired major glaring spitfire at the purple-eyed teen as she pinched her nose to stem the flow of blood "You could have told me! And did you have to punch me in the face?

"Would you have preferred I stabbed or shot you?" Lelouch quipped, smirking coyly at the major's silence as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the white buckle he'd been given at the shop "Now then…" he muttered, bringing it to his waist, a belt forming at both end as the metal book formed at his hip, pulling on the levers to make the Buckle turn upwards "What say we put an end to this little game?"

Reaching down to his hip, the purple eyed teen opened the case and extracted a single card, snapping the case shut as he held the card out before him. "Henshin!" he called out, slipping the card into the buckle as he spoke.

**"Kamen Ride:…"** the buckle announced, a mechanical chime sounding off as Lelouch pushed the levers back in, the Buckle returning to it's normal position with a clack **"DECADE!"**

Nine symbols formed in mid-air, eerily similar to the ones that adorned the teen's buckle, each one overlaying the shadowy image of a different of an armored figure, before converging on Lelouch, his form disappearing under a familiar suit of armor, the grey body shifting to a dull, reddish pink on black with white on the inside legs, six black lines, like barcodes, attaching to his face as his eyes flashed green.

With a yell, the green-eyed warrior leapt forward, tackling the closer of the two Shito as Misato and Shinji looked on in shock. "Decade?" Shinji repeated, his eyes widening in disbelief as he gaped at the battling figure in alarm, only to narrow in sudden understanding "So he's Decade…"

* * *

_With Decade and the Shito..._

_"Come on!"_ Decade called out in the Shito's language, the green-eyed rider ducking under the clumsy, but coordinated attacks of the twins, kicking the closer one in the back, sending it sprawling into it's brethren _"At least TRY to make this a challenge, will you?"_

_"Damn you, you interfering Lillim!"_ the orange twin snarled, shoving his partner aside as it lashed out at the Green-Eyed rider with it's claws, raking the earth before it _"Do you have any idea what you've done?"_

_"Punched a woman in the face, messed up a plan that cost four other women their lives, got payback for being forced to horf all over my new sneakers…" _Decade counted, ducking under the monster's wild swings before slashing at its flanks, driving it back before tapping his blade against his neck, almost lazily _"Sounds about right to me…"_

_"Quit fucking around!" _the other twin snarled, lunging in from the side as his twin recovered, decade sidestepping, before stepping in, his sword stabbing into the Shito's exposed core, the rider kicking the frozen monster to free his blade, just as the core detonated, taking the Shito with it.

_"Kou!"_ the remaining Shito shrilled, gazing at the smoking remains of its bond-brethren with a look of horrified loss, before turning to face Decade with a snarl _"Kisama! You killed my brother!"_

_"Don't worry…" _Decade muttered, the green eyed Rider tapping his blade against his palm threateningly as he advanced on the Shito, the eyes of his helmet glowing ominously _"You'll be joining him soon enough-!"_

"Shinji!"

Decade turned at the sound of Misato's voice, just in time to avoid a punch to the head from Kuuga, though the force sent him staggering against the cliff-face. "What the hell was that for?" he demanded of the black and red rider, only to curse as Kuuga continued his assault.

"You came just like he said you would…Devil!" Kuuga declared, the red rider glaring at his green-eyed foe as he clenched his fist "Decade…I will defeat you!"

* * *

Whoo boy...seems like no matter who dons Decade's armor, they're set for a long run.

Lelouch: Sucker punching little shit...

C.C: Still better than the emo version, right?

Lelouch: He never would've landed that punch otherwise.

Kyugan: Moving on...

Next time on Code Decade:

_A Haunting vision of the future..._

Hikari: What was that…? A dream…? Or something else…?

_A Clash between Riders..._

Decade: Who the hell are you calling a 'Devil'?

Kuuga: I was warned about you! You're trying to destroy all the Riders!

_A new Enemy..._

Lelouch: Let me get this straight...some random freak in a mask told me I was a bad guy?"

?: Decade…Your presence in this world will only bring destruction…

_A Meeting of the minds..._

Misato: It all adds up sir...Whatever this ritual the Shito were up to was, it has something to do with N.E.R.V HQ.

Gendo: Major Katsuragi, come with us…

_A secret revealed...._

Gendo: we have listed it as Unidentified Life Form no.1…Codename: Adam.

_And a new horror unleashed..._

?: Lillim…You will all die…

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	5. Neon Genesis EvangeliKuuga 4

Many thanks to Kamen Rider Chrome and Ten-Faced-Paladin for their supportive comments.

Also, congratulations to all of you who guessed that the 'Narutoaki' of the story is 'Zero', though whether this is the 'Zero' from the end of Code Geass, or an alternate version of Lelouch, I'll not say till a later date.

Lelouch: Freaking poser...there is only one TRUE Zero.

C.C: Why thank you.

Lelouch: I meant ME.

C.C: Can you perform a backwards swan dive into a sewer to escape your enemies?

Lelouch: Witch...

* * *

**The Destroyer and the Protector.**

_In a different place..._

_'Where…am I?' Hikari wondered, the freckled girl looking around in confusion, her thoughts echoing inside her skull as she took in the scene before her._

_She was standing in the middle of a canyon, wearing a ruffled white sundress that reminded her, vaguely, of a movie she'd seen once. All around her, lying in broken, battered heaps, were countless warriors, machines and monsters, all of them looking like they'd fought through both world wars, smoke rising from their still forms, some of them covered in debris._

_Something moved behind her, the class rep turning to find that two warriors were still very much alive, and both were still locked in mortal combat._

_One, she was stunned to see, was the being that had been designated unidentified Life Form no.4, his red armor caked with dust and dirt as he attacked his opponent, a tall warrior clad in reddish-pink armo with black and white highlights, his green eyes menacing._

_No.4 stumbled back from a backhand to the jaw, retaining his footing before squatting down, letting out a guttaral growl as black smoke gathered around him, a wind picking up that blew the nearby corpses further away as his armor shifted from red to pure black with gold highlights, his fist coming up, glowing with golden energy._

_The green eyed warrior, unintimidated by the theatrics, brought his own fist up, murderous purple energy enveloping it as he stepped forward to meet his adversery's charge, their fists colliding in an explosion that knocked Hikari off her feet._

"NO!" Hikari gasped, sitting up straight in bed, gasping for beath as she stared at the opposite wall, sweat running down her brow as she turned to look at her clock, which showed it was just after midnight.

'What was that…?' she wondered, her breath stilling as she turned to look out the window, where a full moon hung in the sky 'A dream…? Or something else…?'

_

* * *

_

_(The image of Hikari's room freezes, then shatters, replaced with the Six crests of Decade's helemt as he stands before a white background.)_

**The Destroyer of Worlds...Decade...**

**What can he see as he traverses the parallel worlds?**

_(Lelouch is sitting on the porch of watanuki's store, watanuki behind him, covering his eyes.)_

Miageru hoshi...

_(Watanuki uncovers Lelouch's eyes, the camera zooms in to reveal the geass crest)_

Sorezore no rekishi ga...

_(Scene changes to the Decadriver, as the masks of the Nine Riders cover their respective Crests)_

Kagayaite...

_(The nine riders appear at random, like phantoms, around the store's back yard...)_

Seiza no you...

_(Zero stands in the center, holding a crystal globe filled with film)_

Sen de musubu shunkan...

_(Shinji is seen sitting with his back to his bike, the images of the Nine riders appearing around him)_

Hajimaru legend.

_(Zero drops the globe and the phantom images of the Nine Riders charge towards Decade.)_

Aurora yurameku jikuu wo koete...

_(Lelouch jolts, still sitting on the porch, slumping over as their masks cover his face)_

Tobikomu meisou suru Parallel World...

_(Decade turns, surrounded by his predecessors on all sides)_

On the road, dare mo tabi no tochuu...

_(Scene changes, Shinji is looking on as Decade fends off the riders with the Ride Booker, slashing and shooting in passing)_

Honto no jibunjishin deau tame-!

_(Scene changes, Lelouch looks up as someone holds out their hand, only to switch back to the battle...)_

Atarashii yoake e to tsuzuku...

_(Decade spins in a circle, slashing at his foes, Zero charging him with his crimson sword)_

Michi ni kawaru no darou-!

_(Decade and Zero clash, their respective helmets fading into view behind them, inches from one another)_

Mokugekise yo Journey through the decade-!

_(Decade smashes through the dimensional fog, riding the Machine Decader as the Nine Riders form in a clockwise circle around the image of the Decadriver in the background.)_

**Code Decade: The Rider Rebellion.**

* * *

_With Decade and Kuuga..._

"You came just like he said you would…Devil!" Kuuga declared, the red rider glaring at his green-eyed foe as he clenched his fist "Decade…I will defeat you!" he vowed, charging his opponent once again, only to be warded off by Decade's sword.

"Who the hell are you calling a 'Devil'?" Decade demanded, glaring at the younger rider as he dodged around Kuuga's blows, his sword reverting to its place at his side as he deflected the worst of them with deft and agile strikes, not wanting to hurt the kid more than he had to.

"I was warned about you!" Kuuga declared, lashing out at the taller rider, only for Decade to capture his arms in a hold, the two deadlocking as they glared into each other's eyes "You're trying to destroy all the Riders!"

"What in the hell are you talking about?" Decade demanded, the two of them struggling to throw the other off balance, only to end up stumbling over the guard rail, separating in mid-fall to land in a roll, facing off once again at a deserted tourist viewpoint. Kuuga charged in again, the two of them exchanging blows once more, only for Decade to send the shorter Rider flying with a punch to the chest.

Before he could catch his breath however, the remaining Shito leapt out from behind, keening shrilly as it slashed the green-eyed rider across the flank, Decade staggering briefly, only to sidestep the follow up strike and grab the creature's arm in a hold.

"MOVE IT!" Kuuga called out, the red rider charging in, his foot glowing gold as he delivered a savage kick between the two combatants, the two of them flying apart in a fierce explosion, though the Shito took the brunt of it on it's core, which detonated a few seconds later.

"Jeez…overkill much?" Decade muttered, getting to his feet with an annoyed grunt, even as Kuuga grabbed a nearby iron bar, his armor morphing from red to silver and purple as the bar morphed into a sword "Looks like you're not willing to listen." He muttered, reaching for his card-case again, drawing a card and slotting it in with a snort "Fine then…I'll give you a lesson in manners."

"Attack Ride: SLASH!" his buckle declared, his case morphing into it's sword configuration again as he stood firm, meeting Kuuga's charge and deflecting the smaller rider's strikes, his own sword seeming to blur as he slashed repeatedly at his opponent, sending him flying once again.

"Shinji-kun!" Misato called out, the purple haired major appearing on the scene, her face lined with concern as she came to a halt at her ward's side, her Glock in hand, though she had it aimed at the ground, unsure of whether to aim at Decade or not "What's going on?"

"Misato!" Kuuga managed to get out, tossing his sword aside as he seized the woman's wrist forcing her to relinquish her weapon "Lemme borrow this!" he called out, ignoring the major's protests as he morphed into his green form, aiming the golden bow gun at Decade and launching a bolt of golden energy at the rider.

Decade, not missing a beat, deflected the shot with his blade, before shifting the case so that it resembled a gun, opening fire on his opponent to keep Kuuga occupied, even as he slotted another Card into his belt.

"Attack Ride: BLAST!" the buckle declared, several phantom images of Decade's fire-arm forming alongside it, all of them firing at the same time, a hail of gunfire that served to Knock Kuuga on his ass once again.

"I can keep this up all night if I have to kid."the older rider warned, glaring down at the currently green rider in annoyance, even as Kuuga stubbornly climbed to his feet "Do the smart thing and back off."

"Never!" Kuuga snapped, rushing forwards with a yell, the two of them clashing once again, alternating between punches and kicks whilst taking potshots whenever they were far enough away, while Misato looked on helplessly.

* * *

_In the background..._

Unbeknownst to the combatants and Misato, a fourth party was watching this fight, his features hidden behind a black, hawk-like mask, his gaze locked onto Decade's back as the fight slowly dragged on.

"Decade…" the masked figure muttered, his voice laced with contempt and silent anger as he watched his quarry toss Kuuga around like a ragdoll "Your presence in this world will only bring destruction…"

As if heralded by his words, a wall of grey mist descended on the battlefield, washing over the combatants, who stilled in their struggle, gripping their weapons tightly in case of another attack, only for it to clear as quickly as it formed, leaving two new figures in it's wake.

"Lookie-Lookie, Neechan!" the shorter figure chirped, clad in cobalt and silver armor with golden eyes, and what appeared to be a mechanical grasshopper on her belt, the rider practically hopping with glee as she pointed at the stunned combatants, her tone laced with excitement "There are riders here too!"

"Looks like it…" the taller figure muttered, her armor identical to her comrades, save the colour scheme was dark green with a gold mouth guard and red eyes, and she seemed a little less endowed around the chest "Let's go, Patty!"

"HAI!" the shorter rider chirped, lunging towards a startled Decade, while the taller one marched on an equally thrown Kuuga.

* * *

_At the fight..._

"What the hell?" Decade snapped, ducking under the shorter intruder's opening kick, before fending off her continued assaul, the green-eyed rider surprised at the sheer power behind the female rider's punches "Where in the hell did you two come from?"

"Hey who are these two?" Kuuga demanded, the currently green-clad rider backing up from his own opponent warily, glaring at Decade as the two former enemies passed one another while fending them off "Are they with you?

"ARE YOU BLIND?" Decade snapped, the older rider glaring at Kuuga like he was an idiot, deflecting a kick from the green Hopper as the two of tem switched targets "I've never seen these two before!"

"Like I believe that!" Kuuga snapped, only to curse as the silver Hopper punched him in the stomach, sending him skidding backwards "Chou Henshin!" he snapped, switching to his blue form as he charged the rider again, ducking under her punch before kicking her in the mid-riff, sending her crashing into a tree.

"Patty!" the green hopper called out, looking on in alarm as her partner staggered upright, turning to glare at the blue clad rider as she broke away from Decade "You bastard!" the green Rider snarled "What're you doing to my sister?"

"Hey…" Decade called out, a little unsettled by what he was seeing as the hoppers tag teamed Kuuga, the blue clad rider getting the beating of his life "Good grief…" he muttered, drawing his card case again, firing off several shots at their exposed backs to drive them off "Right…now where did you two come from?"

"We came to fight you!" the silver one chirped dancing lightly on her feet as she made punching gestures at him, her partner glaring at him for the cheap shot "The caped guy said you were pretty strong!"

"Quit chatting with him Patty." The green one muttered, rotating her shoulders stiffly as she popped her neck, glaring pointedly at Kuuga before charging forwards "Let's finish him off with one move!"

"I'd like to see you try…" Decade muttered, drawing a card and slotting it into his buckle, slamming the sides together once again. "Attack Ride: BLAST!" the buckle declared, Decade opening fire on the Hoppers as they drew closer, only for the shots to be blocked by a wall of fog that appeared between them.

"Hey!" the silver one exclaimed, pouting childishly and stamping her foot when her attempts to pass through the barrier failed, looking more like a petulant child than a rider at that moment "No fair! The fight was just getting good!"

"Relax Patty…" the Green one muttered calmingly, drawing her sibling's attention several shadowy images that were flitting across the fog's surface, shadows of what looked suspiciosuly like Rider armor "Looks like there's plenty of guys left."

"Yeah!" the silver one cheered, punching the air and leaping excitedly with glee, before turning to wave at Kuuga and Decade "See ya around Mr. Pink!" she cheered, before following her partner into the mist.

"Who the hell is she calling Mr. Pink?" Decade muttered, glaring after the annoying duo as they vanished as quickly as they arrived, before turning his attentions to Kuuga, who was slowly getting to his feet "And you, what the hell is your problem anyway?"

"I'd like to know that too." Misato called out, the two riders turning to find her standing there, her arms crossed and foot tapping the ground, her features far from amused as she glared between the two riders "Both of you have a LOT to explain."

Both Riders flinched, glancing at each other in mutual dread, a sense of camaraderie forming under the threat of Misato's anger as they both de-henshined. "Misato-san…" Shinji stammered, looking up at his caretaker nervously as she stalked towards him "Um…I was just…"

"My gun." Misato demanded, the purple haired major holding out her hand, the teen flinching at her tone as he placed the firearm there, handle first "What were you thinking," she demanded, holstering the weapon "attacking Lelouch like that?"

"Um…" the young rider muttered, suddenly looking very sheepish as his gaze shifted from his guardian and superior to the equally annoyed Lelouch "I heard that an enemy more dangerous than the Shito, called Decade, would come."

"Heard?" Misato repeated, the purple haired major frowning down at the Ikari teen as she finished re-holstering her weapon, her eyes lined with suspicion "Who told you? Someone from N.E.R.V? Section 2?"

"Uh…a man in a mask?" Shinji hazarded, trying to pass it off as a joke, only to hold up both hands at the woman's suspicious glare, waving them placatingly "I'm serious Misato-san! Why would I lie about this?"

"Well that's true." Misato muttered, her glare lessening as she realized the teen had a point. Shinji was the world's worst liar, the fact that he'd managed to keep his identity as Kuuga a secret for so long was practically a miracle.

"Let me get this straight." Lelouch muttered, the purple eyed teen walking up to them with a less-than amused frown on his face "You tried to beat the crap out of me because some random freak in a mask told me I was a bad guy?"

"Well…yeah…?" Shinji offered, sounding less certain by the second, only to flinch under the combined glares of the older two "It wasn't just that!" he insisted "He told me you were travelling worlds destroying riders!"

"Well he's HALF right I suppose." Lelouch muttered, earning a look of confusion from the duo as he crossed his arms with a snort "About the world travelling thing, though this is the first world I've come to."

"Wait," Misato blinked, the purple haired major looking at the purple eyed lieutennant in dawning alarm, even as Shinji gaped at the teen with outright confusion "You're saying you're from another world? Like an Alien?"

"More like a Parallel world." Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed rider waving a hand dismissively, warding off the images of flying saucers and 'greys' that word summoned "Long story, needless to say I don't know anything about this Destroyer of World's bullshit."

"I think we need to sit down and talk about this…" Misato muttered, a hand going to her head as Shinji gaped at the elder teen "I really need a beer."

* * *

_Lelouch's apartment..._

Several minutes later, and the group found themselves in Lelouch's apartment, since it was safer to speak there, as Asuka was doubtlessly waiting for them back at Misato's.

"So you're travelling through the worlds looking for your home?" Shinji wondered, the younger rider blinking in surprise as he sat at Lelouch's kitchen table, looking across at the elder teen in wonderment.

"Seems that way." Lelouch muttered, the elder rider leaning back in his chair with a grunt, his arms crossed before him as he looked at the two "I only arrived in your world a few days ago, in fact, we met the same day."

"So your transfer from the European Branch was fake?" Misato asked, frowning suspiciously at the purple-eyed teen, though she'd placed her gun on the table as a sign of faith, well within reach, but it was a start.

"Who knows?" Lelouch opined, shrugging offhandedly as he regarded the woman with a wry smirk "Perhaps there really IS a Lieutenant Lamperouge out there with my name and face, and I merely assumed his role."

"The parallel world theory." Misato muttered, recalling her old days from college with a frown and a sigh "It's too bad Ritsu isn't here...she'd have a field day." She looked up "So about what you said before..."

"About the Shito's ritual?" Lelouch asked, turning back to eye the major as he finished answering Shinji's questions with a shrug "It's ruined, for now at least, though that isn't to say they might not re-attempt it at a later date."

"But what was the ritual for?" Lelouch wondered, the younger rider frowning in confusion as he looked down at his hands "I mean, why those five points? And why were they centered around N.E.R.V HQ?"

"My guess, there's something at N.E.R.V that the Shito are looking for." Lelouch deduced, drawing their attention as he looked into their eyes for emphasis "Something that the higher-ups are keeping secret."

"Now that you mention it…" Misato muttered, a frown on her face "Both the Commander, Sub-Commander and Yui-san are quite determined that nobody goes near the lower levels…and only they have the security access cards."

"That just makes things more interesting…" Lelouch mused, the teen tapping his fingers together, before sighing "Well, it's none of my business. With the Shito's ritual ruined, I probably won't be needed here much longer."

"So you're leaving?" Shinji asked, the young rider blinking up at the elder teen in confusion, for some reason feeling a sense of doscomfort at the news, like he was saying farewell to an old friend "Just like that?"

"I told you I was just passing through, didn't I?" Lelouch reminded him, smirking wryly at the younger rider at the memory of their first encounter, back when they'd saved Maya "Why? Want' me to pound you again."

"Alright now kids, break it up." Misato sighed, shaking her head at the boy's antics, amused despite herself "I'll have a word with Yui-san tomorrow, see what's being kept down there that the Shito are after." She Turned to Shinji "Shin-chan, I want you to keep Lelouch company till then."

"Why Major…" Lelouch scoffed, the purple-eyed Lieutennant quirking an eyebrow at the woman even as Shinji offered a nervous agreement "Don't tell me you don't trust me? After I saved you life."

"About that." Misato noted, suddenly lashing out and punching Lelouch in the face, sending the teen sprawling off his chair with a curse "Now we're even." She pointed out with a smirk, grinning down at the cursing teen as Shinji backed away with a nervous look on his face.

* * *

_The following morning..._

"That woman…" Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed teen grimacing as he tapped his nose tentatively with his fingers, checking for additional damages, though it had pretty much healed up overnight "I'll get her for this…"

"Give it a rest Lelouch-san…" Shinji sighed, the youngest Ikari looking up at the elder teen with exasperated concern as they walked along the main street of Tokyo-2 "Misato-san can REALLY hold a grudge."

"She's not the only one." Lelouch muttered, sniffing tenderly as he walked alongside the younger teen, the two of them on their way to meet up with Shinji's friends in town, as it was a weekend today "Why'm I coming along on this again?"

"Misato-san asked me to keep an eye on you." Shinji reminded the elder teen, his gaze hardening slightly, though with no actual anger, only to smile apologetically "Besides, the others wanted to invite you out."

"I'm flattered." Lelouch scoffed, shaking his head in bemusement as he tucked his hands into his pants pockets, walkeding alongside the younger teen as they pulled up before the others, an irate Asuka tapping her foot.

"You're late!" the volatile redhead snapped, dressed in a yellow sundress and hat as she glared hotly at her childhood friend, who flinched under her stare, only to recover admirably and frown back in turn, as they were barely five minutes behind the others "Baka-Shinji! What kept you?"

"My fault." Lelouch assured the redhead, the elder teen smiling disarmingly as he stepped forwards, cutting off Shinji's angry response "Misato-san needed me for something and Shinji had to stick around until I was done."

"Ah give da prof a break dere Sohryu." Toji chuckled, the jock wearing his trademark tracksuit and a confident grin as he battled Kensuke wirelessly on their Gameboys "Y'know he'd never keep ya waitin' fer long."

"R-right…" Asuka stammered, cut off guard by Lelouch's intervention and Toji's words, coughing into her fist to compose herself "I'll forgive you this time Shinji, but you should call ahead if you're going to be late in future!"

"So Lamperouge-san is tagging along?" Hikari asked, turning to the purple eyed foreigner with a smile, even as Kensuke let out a wail of defeat, as Touji whooped in victory "That's great! We can show you around!"

"A tour with three lovely young women as guides." Lelouch noted offhandedly, smiling coyly at the girls, who flushed despite themselves, before bowing regally towards them, a hand across his heart "I'd be delighted."

"Dude...is he some sort of professional Casanova or something?" Kensuke muttered, the military otaku adjusting his glasses as the three stooges gaped at their female friends "I mean he's even got Sohryu blushing!"

"Prof!" Toji exclaimed, the Jock suddenly turning and grabbing Shinji by his shirt "Tell me he ain't been puttin' da moves on Misato-san!"

All in all, in Shinji's honest opinion, things were already off to a rocky start.

* * *

_N.E.R.V, Commander's office..._

"You're certain of this information, Major Katsuragi?" Gendo demanded, the commander of N.E.R.V looking grimly across his desk at Misato, Sub-Commander Fuyutski and Yui flanking his desk on either side.

"It all adds up sir." Misato insisted, nodding to the files she'd placed before the man, which Fuyutski and Yui were glossing over even as she spoke "The pattern of attacks, the Murder MO, so far Lieutenant Lamperouge has been right on the money. Whatever this ritual the Shito were up to was, it has something to do with N.E.R.V HQ."

"Ikari…" Kouzou Fuyutsuki muttered, the aged sub-commander turning to look at the bearded, younger commander and the head of Research and Development with a concerned frown on his wrinkled face "You don't think?"

"I suspected as much…" Gendo muttered, Shinji's bearded sire getting to his feet, drawing a look of concern from Yui as he made to walk out of the office, Fuytuski at his heels "Major Katsuragi, come with us…"

'Just like Lelouch said…' Misato muttered, her features neutral as she followed after the trio, passing by several nervous techies as they went 'Whatever the Shito are after…the Commander knows what it is!'

"What you are to see, is top secret." Gendo muttered, the bearded commander moving to swipe a red keycard through a hidden card-reader, before turning to smirk at the woman "Do NOT tell your mother."

"Must you do that every time dear?" Yui sighed, shaking her head in exasperation as Fuyutski rolled his eyes, Misato following them into the darkened chamber within, which for some reason felt much larger than the corridor outside.

"Fuyutski, the lights." Gendo instructed, the elderly Sub-commander nodding, moving off to the side and flipping the switch, Misato's eyes blinking, only to widen in alarm as she gaped at the sight before her.

"W-what the…?" the purple haired major exclaimed, her eyes wide at the sight of the massive, purple figure that was pinned, crucified rather, to the far wall, it's armored, horned head lowered as if in death.

"When N.E.R.V was first founded, it was because the corpse of an Unidentified Life Form was found in a cave not too far from here." Yui informed the major, her tone grim "It was pinned, much like you see here, with heavy wardings that predate the most ancient of civilizations."

"As such, we have listed it as Unidentified Life Form no.1…" Gendo muttered, the Commander of N.E.R.V walking right up to the monstrosity with his hands clasped behind his back, turning to face Misato as he spoke "Codename: Adam."

"Adam…" Misato stammered, the purple haired major gaping up at the creature in horrified wonder, wondering just how long the higher ups had been hiding it from the rest of the world, from the rest of N.E.R.V "You mean the first man?"

"The first SOMETHING in any case." Fuyutski muttered, the old man's tone decidedly grim as he walked up alongside her "In any case, shortly after this was discovered, the Shito, as you call them, began making appearances in public."

"Adam was moved here because it was believed we could learn from it, and devise methods of countering its brethren." Yui muttered "We managed to devise a system that could track them from studying it's DNA."

"The MAGI…" Misato whispered, all the pieces falling together at last as she turned to look at Yui, who was looking at her with a concerned expression, as if wondering how she was taking it all in "Then that means…"

"That the Shito were most likely trying to revive the First." Gendo muttered, his tone calm as he stared up at the creature "A moot point now, since we won't be giving them the opportunity to restart their little ritual."

Even as he spoke, a fine, silvery mist washed through the room, the occupants stiffening, looking around for the cause, even as the wall passed over the corpse, before fading away.

"What the hell was that?" Fuyutski breathed, his old heart pounding, the sub-commander deciding he was getting to old for this cloak and dagger shit as he turned to Yui "Another distortion effect?"

"Perhaps…" Yui muttered, turning to a confused Misato "We've been picking up unusual distortion effects in the area for a while now. They're usually small, and pass quickly, but the MAGI can't seem to predict them."

"Sounds like trouble to me…" Misato muttered, only to freeze, her eyes widening in horror as she gaped forwards in shock, Yui and Fuyutski following her gaze, the professor letting out a scream as Gendo's head landed on the floor before her.

* * *

_Tokyo 2..._

Lelouch stiffened, the teen looking up from listening to the idle chatter between Shinji's friends to stare at the pyramid structure that was N.E.R.V's HQ, eyes narrowing at the sight of the silver mist that had formed there. "That can't be good…" he muttered, drawing everyone's attention, Shinji's eyes widening as he recognized the fog from the other night "Let's go, Shinji."

"R-right!" the teen agreed, his eyes hardening with resolve as he apologized to Rei, before dashing off after Lelouch as they raced towards HQ, leaving the rest of the gang gaping after them in confusion.

"What's wit dem?" Toji muttered, the befuddled jock scratching his head in confusion as he switched his gaze from the retreating teens to the towering shape of N.E.R.V "And is dat smoke comin' outta N.E.R.V HQ?"

"Ohmigosh! Maybe there's a fire!" Hikari gasped, the freckled class Representative clapping her hands over her mouth in sudden horror, her eyes wide with concern "Ikari-kun's parents are still in there!"

"SCHIESSE!" Asuka yelled, the redhead racing after her childhood friend, a concerned look on her face "Ayanami! C'mon! That baka's gonna get himself hurt!"

* * *

_One motorcycle ride later..._

"What the hell happened here?" Lelouch wondered, the purple-eyed teen gazing around the deserted hallways of N.E.R.V HQ suspiciously, grimacing as he stepped in a puddle of dirty yellow liquid "And what's with all the water?"

"I don't think this is water..." Shinji muttered, the teen's nose scrunching up in disgust as they walked deeper into the silent lair, their belts at the ready "Smells like blood…" he looked up in concern "You don't think…"

"Who knows…" Lelouch muttered, the elder rider grimacing as he caught the coppery scent of blood himself "Doubt it though, for the smell of blood to be so strong, they'd have to have left corpses all over the place."

"CORPSES?" a voice gasped from the rear, the duo whipping round, hands at the ready, only to find Asuka and Hikari trying to silence a terrified Toji, while Kensuke looked around eagerly, camera in hand.

"What're you lot doing here?" Lelouch demanded, the elder of the two riders looking at the group in surprise, and no little amount of annoyance, as he lowered his card "It's dangerous here, go back."

"Like hell!" Asuka snapped, walking up to the elder teen through the puddles of yellow liquid and poking him in the chest "You might be older than us, but that doesn't give you the right to boss us around!"

"Your right," Lelouch muttered, before pulling out his ID-card, "However, the fact that I'm a Lieutenant does." He reminded her, tucking the card back as the redhead backed off, looking decidedly sheepish "Now I want you all out of here!"

"Like I'm leaving without Baka-Shinji!" Asuka snapped, only to look away, her cheeks lighting up a fierce crimson as she cleared her throat "That is, my momma works here too, so I'm gonna stay and look for her!"

"Teenagers!" Lelouch swore, looking at the group in exasperation, despite the fact he himself had yet to hit his twenties, before shaking his head "Do what you want, but when I say 'run', you RUN, and don't stop running."

"Whatever ya say Lt!" Kensuke snapped, pulling off a salute that would make the strictest drill Sergeant weep for joy, much to Lelouch's derision, the group falling in line as he lead the way deeper into the stronghold.

"Schiesse what a mess…" Asuka muttered, the normally volatile redhead grimacing as she fruitlessly tried to avoid stepping in the deeper puddles, her lip curling in disgust as she shook her feet dry after a particularly deep one "What is this stuff?"

"Smells like piss…" Toji muttered insensitively, only to get slapped upside the head by a flushing Hikari, who was holding onto his sleeve nervously, the poor girl looking absolutely terrified as they moved deeper into the building.

"Quiet…" Lelouch muttered, the teen holding up a hand to halt them in their tracks as he paused just before a corner "There's someone else here…"

The group flinched, Asuka and Rei stepping closer to Shinji, who had his hands ready over his belt, even as Lelouch readied a card from his case. They tensed as a figure dashed round the corner, only to relax as a terrified Maya Ibuki stumbled into view.

"Maya!" Lelouch exclaimed, the younger Lieutennant catching the terrified woman and holding her tight, shaking her in an attempt to make her calm down "What happened here? What's going on?"

"E-everyone's dead!" Maya stammered, the young elder Lieutennat's eyes wide, showing whites all around as she gripped the younger Lieutenant tightly by the arms "Monster…from the lower levels…!"

"So there was something here…" Lelouch muttered, frowning at having his hunch confirmed, only to blink, looking up as something dripped on his hand, letting loose a curse as he dove out of the way, dragging Maya with him.

"Lelouch-san!" Shinji cried out, only to freeze at the sight of the creature before him, his features paling as it crouched on the ground, hissing low through it's teeth.

It was covered in light, purple scales, almost like armor, it's form humanoid, in that it had two arms, legs and five fingers on each hand. However, it's head was far from human, a grotesque, monstrosity that boasted a sharp purple horn in the center, set above glowing golden eyes and red teeth.

"WHAT DA HECK IS DAT?" Toji screamed, which pretty much summarized what everyone was thinking, the group backing up against the wall, a panicked Hikari clinging to him with a shriek, even as Kensuke tried to get a better shot.

"Don't just stand there you idiots!" Lelouch snapped, trying to free himself form the panicking Maya "RUN!"

But his warning came to late, the purple monstrosity's right arm lashing out, stretching unnaturally to grasp Kensuke by the face, the terrified boy dropping his camera as he was dragged towards it, his muffled screams desperate as he fought to free himself.

SPLURCH!

The group gaped, unable to comprehend what they were seeing, as Kensuke's body, clothes and all, were reduced to golden liquid, which poured down to join the amount pooling on the floor.

"Lillim…" the monster gurgled, its voice deep and guttural, like an animal that had learned to mimic human speech "You will all die…"

* * *

Lelouch: HOLY BLACK ON A POPO-!

C.C: Ouch...Monster 1, Nerd 0

Shinji: Well...Kensuke always DID want to experience the Eva's...

C.C: He wanted to be mangled beyond recognition?

Rei: You get used to it.

Kyugan: Someone once told me off for including an opening sequence in my fics. For those who're offended, I apologize for this, but I felt the need to do so. As such, the opening will change slightly per rider world, though I won't use Decade's all the time if that helps.

Kallen: Good...all those spectral images were giving me aheadache...

Kyugan: In any case...the translations for the opening song is as follows....Lelouch?

Lelouch: On it *Draws card and slots it in*

Decadriver: Kamen Ride: GACKT!

Miageru hoshi sorezore no rekishi ga kagayaite/The stars I look up to, history is written on it  
Seiza no you sen de musubu shunkan hajimaru legend/Like a constellation, the instant the lines connect it starts a legend  
Aurora yurameku jikuu wo koete/Aurora passing through the flickering time  
Tobikomu meisou suru Parallel world/Dive into the straying Parallel World

On the road dare mo tabi no tochuu honto no jibunjishin deau tame/On the road, everyone is on a journey in order to find their real selves  
Atarashii yoake e to tsuzuku michi ni kawaru no darou/I will be changed on the road that heads on to a new dawn  
Mokugekise yo Journey through the decade/Witness the Journey through the decade!

Kyugan: What scares me is there really is a card for Gackt out there somewhere...

Next time on code Decade:

_The first has awakened..._

Adam: "The end of days…begins now!

Lelouch: Maya! Get them outta here!

_Chaos Reigns..._

Touji: Ah shit! It's out! Game over man! Call da JSDF!

Hikari: Lamperouge-san…He was still in there!

_A secret revealed..._

Shinji: HENSHIN!

Asuka: Shinji...?

_A fated clash..._

Adam: Annoying pest!

Kuuga: CHOU HENSHIN!

_A Hero returns..._

Adam: You have no business here offworlder!

Lelouch: You're right…This isn't my world…so strictly speaking, what happens here isn't any of my business...

_A precious bond..._

Adam: What could you possibly gain from fighting me?"

Lelouch: In order to protect that smile…I will destroy you!

_A final Stand..._

Adam: Kisama…Who the hell do you think you are?

Lelouch: I'm just a passing throug Kamen Rider…Remember that!

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	6. Neon Genesis EvangeliKuuga 5

As some might guess from the title of this chapter, Decade's stay in Kuuga's world is coming to a close.

Lelouch: We figured THAT from the ending credits LAST time!

C.C: Really, not that hard to figure out if you saw the cannon plot.

Kallen: Seriously, are you just going to monkey the entire plot of the original Decade?

Kyugan: No, to answer this, and any further questions, the plots of the Rider worlds will NOT follow those depicted in the original series, though Lelouch WILL be visiting them in the same order.

C.C: SO they'll mostly be original then?

Kyugan: It's fanfiction, nothing is ENTIRELY Original. But I'm confident that, with the exception of Kamen Rider Chrome and Ten-Faced-Paladin, no-one's attempted what I've planned yet, though don't quote me on that.

Shinji: Is this what you people do all day?

Kyugan: Yeah pretty much, so quit fucking it up and get on stage!

* * *

**Final Genesis.**

The group stared, unable to comprehend what they had just seen, even as the monster clenched it's fingers, crushing Kensuke's spectacles. "N-no way…" Asuka stammered, the redhead backing up against the wall "That…that didn't just happen…"

"Aida-kun…" Hikari stammered, the class rep's hands covering her mouth as she stared at the monster in horror from behind Toji. The monster growled, turning to glare at them, it's pupil-less eyes glowing ominously as it took one crouching step forward, only to stagger as a 'wet floor' sign was slammed against it's head.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" Lelouch snapped, the purple-eyed teen continuing his assault on the monster with the aforementioned sign as he glared at the group, who continued to gape at him stupidly "Maya! Get them outta here!"

"R-right!" Maya stammered, the older lieutenant staggering to her feet, her face pale, but her eyes filled with grim determination as she dashed past the group, grabbing Asuka's hand as she dragged the redhead towards the door "C'mon!"

"What about Lelouch-san?" Shinji asked, the younger Rider turning to look at the elder teen in concern, only for Rei to grab him by the hand, dragging him after the others despite his reaching out for the teen in protest "Lelouch-san!"

"GO! I got this!" Lelouch called out, the purple-eyed teen grimacing as he smashed the board against the creature's head once again, tossing it to the side and raising his card as soon as the kids had gotten out of sight "Henshin!"

**"Kamen Ride:…"** The buckle announced, the symbol flashing as Lelouch slotted the card in, before snapping the levers shut **"DECADE!"**

The Nine Rider Symbols blurred around the teen, forming his armor even as he charged forwards, the barcodes attaching to his face even as he punched the Shito in its own, the creature staggering slightly, but remaining upright. _"Tough guy huh?" _Decade muttered, speaking to the monster in it's native language as he danced on his feet _"Care to explain what you're doing here?"_

_"Why…"_ the monster muttered, it's tone low and guttural, as if it hadn't spoken for years, the horned head lowered as it continued to glare at the mysteriously blood-scented water that covered their ankles _"Why was I awakened?"_

_"Come again?"_ Decade demanded, the green eyed rider quirking his head to the side as he stared at the monster, wondering if he'd misheard. For some reason, the horned menace seemed...upset, that he was back among the living.

_"It is too soon…"_ the monster growled, lifting it's horned head slowly upwards to glare into the Rider's eyes, it's own flashing a dangerous gold as it stood up straighter _"It isn't time for my awakening yet!"_

_"Really?" _Decade muttered, rearing a fist back _"Then why don't you do us all a favor and go back to sleep!"_

He lashed out, delivering several rapid punches to the monster's chest and jaw, only to blink as they had little effect, the Shito simply taking them with no undue stress, before sending him flying down the corridor with a punch to the chest that caused sparks to erupt from his armor.

_"It's too late now…"_ the Shito muttered, standing over the green-eyed rider as he struggled to climb to his feet _"The end of days…begins now!"_

And with that, he spread his arms wide, sending a wave of orange energy into the walls, which collapsed under the stress.

* * *

_Highway connecting N.E.R.V and Tokyo-2..._

"What da hell was dat thing?" Toji gasped, the jock sitting in the back of Maya's car, a little cramped on account of Rei, Asuka and Hikari being shoved in with him, while Shinji rode shotgun "Frankenstein's Fucking Monster on Steroids?"

"I don't know!" Maya gasped, shaking her head as she raced through traffic "We were all working at our posts when the alarm sounded, we tried to evacuate, but then that…thing…" she gripped the steering wheel "It came from the lower levels!"

"The lower levels?" Rei repeated, looking at the older woman in confusion, her red eyes widening in sudden, horrified understanding "You mean the restricted access section that only Aunty and Uncle have access to?"

"Maya-san!" Shinji called out, the younger Ikari spinning around in his seat, from where he was watching the rearview mirror, to look at the Lieutenant in concern "What about my Parents! Or Misato-san!"

"The commander, Sub-commander and Professor Ikari went down there earlier with Major Katsuragi…" Maya stammered, her eyes wide with terrified concern "Oh god Shinji-kun…I didn't see them come back up!"

Shinji gaped at the woman, unable to believe what he'd just heard as he fell back in his seat, staring sightlessly ahead of him, jumping as Rei placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ikari-kun…" she offered, looking at her crush in concern, her red eyes soft and gentle, a similar look in Asuka's eyes as she alternated between looking at the teen and watching the road ahead "I'm sure they-!"

Her words were cut off as the top of N.E.R.V HQ erupted like a volcano, the group looking on in horror as a figure burst through the flames, leaping through the air, heading for Tokyo-2.

"Ah shit! It's out!" Toji swore, the terrified jock gripping the sides of his head in horror as Maya hit the brakes, the overloaded car screeching to a halt on the highway "Game over man!" he cired waving his hands in the air "Call da JSDF!"

"Lamperouge-san…" Hikari stammered, her eyes wide with concern as she gazed back at the smoking ruin of N.E.R.V HQ "He was still in there!"

Shinji flinched, staring between the smoking ruin of N.E.R.V HQ and Tokyo2, his features momentarily lost, before clenching his fist, a scowl forming on his face as he opened the passenger door. "S-Shinji-kun?" Maya exclaimed, the lieutenant looking at the teen in alarm as he climbed out of the car "W-where are you going? We need to stick together!"

"Maya-san," Shinji cut in, startling the group with how steady his voice was, his face set in a determined scowl that reminded all of them of his father "Take the others back and search for Lelouch-san…I'm going on ahead."

"B-BAKA!" Asuka snapped, the volatile redhead looking at her childhood friend like he was crazy as she clambered out of the car after him "What the hell're you thinking? We can't fight that thing-! Stop being an idiot and-!"

She trailed off, her eyes widening as Shinji spun round, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug, the others looking on in shock as he stepped back, a wistful smile on his face.

"I'm sorry…Asuka…" he offered, stepping back from the redhead as his belt formed around his waist "For always making you worry about me…" his face set into a determined scowl "But this is something I HAVE to do…for my parents…for Lelouch-san…for all of us…"

"Shinji…?" Asuka stammered, the redhead looking at the other teen in confusion as he stepped back, raising his hands, one hovering over his belt, the other held before him in a stance as he exhaled slowly.

"HENSHIN!" the teen exclaimed, tapping his belt as it began to chime, pressing down on his other fist before holding his arms out to his sides as the armor formed around him, revealing Kamen Rider Kuuga in his red Mighty form.

"N-No way…" Toji gaped, the stunned jock staring at the red armored rider in shock, even as Asuka backed away in surprise, Hikari's hands clamping over her mouth, while Rei and Maya stared at him, completely thunderstruck.

"Maya-san…" Kuuga spoke, turning to look at the stunned woman with a nod "Please, look after everyone for me…" With that said, the rider turned, running down the street towards Tokyo 2, leaping down the embankment like a super-powered flee to save time.

* * *

_Tokyo-2, main street..._

Panic reigned in the streets of Tokyo 2, as the purple Shito descended on them like some fallen angel, reducing scores of people to puddles of liquid at a time with a single wave of its hands, the purple hexagonal field deflecting the gunfire of the police and millitary that tried to halt it's advance.

"WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS THAT THING?" a nearby officer screamed, firing round after round at the monster as it advanced, the bullets impacting harmless off its hexagonal field "DAMMIT! WHERE THE HELL ARE THOSE N.E.R.V BASTARDS?"

_"You Lillim and your pathetic toys…"_ the First Shito muttered, raising it's arms in the air, two armored police cars rising at the gesture, only to crash into the ground in flames as it dropped them once again _"No matter how many centuries pass, you keep making the same foolish mistakes…"_

"D-damn it!" the officer muttered, pulling out a grenade and hurling it at the advancing creature's feet "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

The cops ducked for cover, as the explosion blinded them with fire, smoke and shrapnel, several of them gazing expectantly into the smog, only for their faces to fall as the creature stepped through, completely unfazed by the attack.

_"Left to your own devices…you wage war against one another, and pervert the course of nature from it's natural flow…" _the Shito muttered, grabbing two officers by their faces and reducing them to puddles of water _"You are a pestilence, a blight upon this world, a virus that has run unchecked…" _it raised a hand towards the fleeing survivors _"No more…"_

"YAMERO-!" a voice cried out, an armored boot slamming into the side of the Shito's horned head, sending it staggering to the side as Kamen Rider Kuuga landed before it, the red eyed warrior breathing heavily from his run.

"Kuuga…" the being designated as 'Adam' growled in japanese, the first of the Shito turning to face the redclad Kamen Rider head on, it's golden eyes glowing ominously as he moved into a stance "Once again you stand before me…"

"Why are you doing this?" Kuuga demanded, the red Rider glaring at the Shito, his fists at the ready as he looked for an opening, trying to buy as much time as he could for civilians to get clear of the battle zone "Why do you attack humans?"

"Lillim feed on this world like parasites…" the Shito replied, standing tall and unthreatened by the rider's presence "They drain the resources and seek dominion over land, sea and sky. When they cannot find enough, they take from themselves, and the world suffers as a result of the Lillim's wars."

"So you think that justifies Killing innocent people?" Kuuga demanded, a little surprised at the Shito's words, but unwilling to back down "Sure some people commit crimes, but does that mean they all must die?"

"Not just the Lillim…" the Shito muttered, spreading its arms wide, as if to encompass the world in it's grasp "Birds…beasts…fish…insects…plants…in order for the cycle to return to normal…everything must be reset…"

"That's genocide!" Kuuga shot out, his combat stance tightening as he glared at the Shito, his convictions reaffirmed as he charged the monster head on "I'm not gonna let you get away with that!"

"You bested me once before Kuuga…" the Shito admitted, ducking out of the Rider's first strike, before delivering a savage backhand to the face that sent him sprawling "But back then you had an army with you! This time we fight alone!"

* * *

_N.E.R.V HQ..._

Inside the ruins of N.E.R.V HQ, the silence was shattered by the sound of shifting debris, settling dust, the occasional electrical spark, and the spattering of dirt and dust as it fell through the massive hole in the pyramid ceiling. Nothing moved in the ruined base, no signs of life traversed the silent, flooded corridors that not half an hour prior had been bustling with activity.

"Whew..." a voice whistled, feminine and laced with stunned approval "Certainly knows how to make an exit doesn't he?"

Not really waiting for an answer, the figure, dressed in a jacket and baseball cap, whistled to herself as she walked down the abandonned corridor, an armored suitcase, which was decorated with the N.E.R.V Insignia, held in her hand.

"Still, I suppose it made MY job all the wasier..." she noted,smiling to herself as she eyed her package "I don't think I could've swiped the core of the MAGI without the big bruiser causing a distraction..." she grimaced as she stepped in a particularly deep patch of liquid "Still...this stuff's KILLING my sneakers...and they were on sale too..."

She walked off, her complaints fading into the distance, just as a fist punched through the debris, the pink gloved hand reaching out to the heavens, a blood-stained white cross on a chain in its center, as the fingers slowly clenched into a fist.

* * *

_With Kuuga..._

"CHOU HENSHIN!" Kuuga called out, grabbing a nearby assault rifle as he shifted to Pegasus Form, the green warrior firing at the Shito with his bow gun, causing sparks to rise off the monster's body as it punched through the Hexagonal field.

_"Annoying Pest!"_ Adam snarled, lashing out at the Kamen Rider, an invisible blade cutting through the air that Kuuga barley managed to dodge before it sliced him in half, instead cutting diagonally through a street light.

"You'll have to do better than that!" the red Rider mocked, rolling clear of the falling debris and firing off another shot at his opponent "I've seen that trick so many times I can dodge it with my eyes closed!"

"Dodge this!" Adam snarled, unleashing a cross-shaped blast of energy from his palm that tore up the street, wiping out several building s in the process, though Kuuga managed to roll clear, barely "Damn you! Hold still!"

"Do I look stupid to you?" Kuuga taunted, deciding to get in close to prevent the freak from using those energy blasts again, firing at his face, before tossing the Bow gun aside and shifting forms again "CHOU HENSHIN!"

"You're beginning to annoy me!" Adam snarled, only to reel back as the Titan sword almost chopped his horn off, the silver and purple Kuuga keeping up the assault, not letting the Shito get any time to think.

"This is for my father!" Kuuga snarled, slashing at the Shito like a madman, sending it staggering backwards "This is for My mother!" he added, kicking the monster in the chest before swiping it across the chest "This one's for Kensuke!" he snapped, kicking the Shito between the legs before kneeing it in the face "And this is for MISATO-SAN!"

With a double handed upward swing to the face, Kuuga sent the Shito flying through the air, crashing on it's back at least five feet away, before lying still, down for the count. "I…did it…" Kuuga gasped, bending over double as he caught his breath "Misato-san…Mother…Father…"

"Is that IT?" a cold voice asked, Kuuga looking up in alarm as Adam sat up slowly, like a corpse reanimating "That was PATHETIC Kuuga…what happened to the power you possessed 5 billion years ago?"

"No way…" Kuuga gasped, the silver and purple Rider completely stunned by the Shito's resilience, only to choke as the monster's arm stretched out, grabbing him by the throat and dragging him face to face with his foe.

"Weakling." Adam mocked, delivering a kick to Kuuga's chest that sent him crashing into a ruined pillar, the Kamen Rider falling to the ground, his armor shifting to a feeble white, before disappearing altogether, revealing a panting, wounded Shinji. "A Lillim!" the Shito exclaimed, torn between shock and disgust as he glared down at the teen "Well that certainly explains things…why Kuuga felt so different…you must be some distant descendent."

Shrugging, as it really didn't concern him either way, the Shito placed it's foot on Shinji's head, holding the teen down as it charged energy into it's fist, which began to glow an ominous white. "Die…" he muttered, rearing his fist back for the final blow, only for a gunshot to sound out, the bullet impacting against his forehead.

* * *

_In the background of the battle zone..._

"TAKE THAT YA FREAK!" Toji called out, the jock glaring at the Shito from atop a pile of rubble, a N.E.R.V issue Sniper rifle in his arms "That was one of N.E.R.V's special Anti-ULF bullets! Want some more!"

"T-Toji…" Shinji grimaced, the wounded teen staring up at the jock through his pain, his teeth clenched as he tried to push himself onto his feet, only to collapse bonelessly from the pain in his aching body "N-no…run…g-get outta here-!"

"No can do Ikari!" Toji called out, the Osaka accented jock smirking confidently at the teenage Ikari as he cocked the rifle and took aim once again "Call me an idiot, but I ain't the kinda trash that leaves a friend hangin'!"

"Insignificant pest…" Adam growled, the First Shito glaring up at the teen through a trickle of blood that flowed from his wound, his golden eyes flashing muderously as he turned to face this latest interloper "You DARE wound ME?"

"RUN! TOJI!" Shinji screamed, even as Adam charged, arms at it's sides as it bore down on the Jock, who opened fire, each shot landing into the monster's flesh as he let out a roar of defiance, a roar that was cut off as the Shito tackled him, grabbing him by t face and hoisting him up high. "NO!" Shinji screamed, looking on in horror as his best friend was about to die, only to blink as he caught sight of the jock's other hand.

"See ya around…Shinji…" Toji smirked, blood lining his lips as he popped the pin of the grenade he was holding, shoving it into Adam's mouth even as the Shito tightened its grip on his head, the explosion blinding and deafening in it's brilliance.

"Toji…" Shinji gasped, the last Ikari staring at the smoking pillar that had once been one of his closest friends in abject horror, his eyes tearing up as he tried to drag himself to his feet, heedless of his wounds and pain "TOJI!"

"Baka, hold still!" Asuka called out, the redhead sliding down the rubble to kneel beside the distraught teen, a concerned Rei, Maya and a crying Hikari hot on her heels "C'mon," she urged, grabbing him under the elbow "we gotta get outta here!"

"But Toji…" Shinji gasped, the last Ikari looking up at the redhead through his tears, noting with surprise that she seemed close to tears herself, which was strange, as Asuka and Toji had NEVer gotten along.

"I know…" Asuka muttered, her features grim "but we gotta get you outta here before-!"

She cut off, eyes going wide as she stared down at her breast, where a spear of white energy was protruding. "Schiesse…" the redhead whispered, even as Hikari screamed, the spear retracting as Asuka fell to the floor, blood trailing from her lips, Shinji and Rei looking on in horror as the smoke cleared to reveal Adam stalking towards them.

"Such fruitless dramatics…" Adam muttered, the First Shuto growling, apparently unharmed by the point blank explosion he'd just endured moments before "If he wanted to die so badly I'd have been happy to oblige."

"MONSTER!" Hikari wept, the freckled Class Representative glaring at the oncomming First Shito as Shinji held Asuka in his arms, shaking his childhood friend's prone, lifeless form in a vain attempt to rouse her "YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

"You Lillim are the true monsters…" Adam countered, advancing all the while, his eyes glowing menacingly "You are a blight on this world that I must eradicate…" he aimed his palm at Shinji "once and for all!"

"Ikari-Kun!" Hikari yelled, reaching out for the distraught teen, only to be tackled out of the way by Maya, the two of them closing their eyes against the blinding light, blinking after a matters of seconds to gape at the sight before them.

* * *

_With Shinji..._

"A-Ayanami…?" Shinji gaped, the last Ikari looking at the form of the figure that had tackled him, taking the brunt of the assault on her back, his eyes wide as he felt her tremble against him "N-No! Why did you do that?"

"Ikari…Kun…" the blue haired girl whispered, coughing weakly as she gripped his shirt tightly, her eyes looking into Asuka's silent features "I…we…don't want to see you get hurt…" she flinched "because…to us…you meant more than anything else…"

Shinji blinked, looking down at the girl in shock as she lifted her face to smile at him, her features as beautiful as when he'd first laid eyes on her, despite the dirt smudged here and there.

"So live..." Rei asked, reaching up to cup his cheek with her trembling, gentle hand, rubbing the dirt and dried blood away with her thumb "Live…and keep smiling…for both our sakes…"

She leant in close, and Shinji's eyes widened as he felt her lips against his own, before she went limp, collapsing against his chest like a doll, her smile frozen in place Shinji's eyes widened in horror.

"So fleeting…" Adam muttered, the Shito advancing on the group with its arms at it's sides, hands out like claws "But then all life is transient before overwhelming power…"

Shinji didn't respond, simply staring down at the forms laying in his arms, one blue, one red, both lost protecting him, both a jagged, gaping wound in his heart. Adam stopped, the Shito now towering over the dumbstruck teen, his long, bloodstained hand reaching down to aim it's palm at the teen's head, Hikari's screams for him to run ignored as the white light began to charge again.

"Farewell…Lillim."

A Motorbike engine roared, the group looking round just in time to see a shadowy figure, perched on top of said machine leaping into the air, coming down on top of the Shito, forcing it to roll out of the path of the vehicle to avoid being trampled, turning to glare at the rider as he removed his helmet.

"Yo." Lelouch greeted, the purple eyed teen battered and bleeding from a torn lip, but most assuredly alive as he turned to look at Shinji solemnly as he sat astride a strange motorbike with a pink barcode on the front "You look like hell."

"Lelouch…san?" Shinji stammered, the last Ikari looking up at the older teen as if in a daze, clutching Rei and Asuka's still forms to his chest, as if unable to allow himself to let them go, unable to accept they were gone forever "I…they…"

"You again…" Adam muttered, the First Shito's voice laced with derisive contempt as he climbed slowly to his feet, glaring at the purple eyed teen "You have no business her offworlder..." he muttered, waving a hand dismissively "off with you!"

"You're right…partially at least…" Lelouch muttered, the purple eyed teen setting his helmet on his bike as he dismounted "This isn't my world…so strictly speaking, what happens here isn't any of my business."

"Lamperouge-san?" Hikari stammered, the distraught teen and and equally distraught Maya looking at the purple-eyed Lieutennant in confusion, only to to fall silent as they caught sight of the look in his eyes.

"This isn't my world…" Lelouch agreed, his handsomefeatures grim, made all the more intimidating from the wounds adorning them as he glared at the Shito before him "But I don't need you to tell me where I don't belong!"

"Do you intend to fight me?" Adam muttered, the First Shito titling his head to the side, like a dog that had seen something interesting "For what reason? What could you possibly gain from fighting me?"

"Aside from payback for dropping a building on me?" Lelouch snorted, the purple-eyed teen's eyes flashing with hidden anger at his words, before pointing dramatically at Shinji, a smirk on his handsome face "To protect his smile."

"Lelouch-san?" Shinji stammered, the last Ikari looking up at the elder teen in stunned confusion, holdng Asuka and Rei tightly all the while, unable to comprehend the meaning of the Dimensional Traveler's words.

"This guy's a little wet behind the ears…" Lelouch muttered "He fought for others simply because he felt it was the right thing to do…" he smirked "But you know…making others happy made him happy…so his smile carries a lot of meaning behind it." He glared at the Shito, a cold smirk on his face as he turned his finger on the monster, which flinched despite itself "And in order to protect that smile…I will destroy you!"

"Kisama…" Adam growled, glaring at the purple eyed teen, his eyes glowing a dangerous white all the while "Who the hell are you?"

Lelouch smirked, slapping his buckle on as the belt and card case clicked into place. "Me?" he repeated, drawing a card from the case "I'm just a passing throug Kamen Rider…" he held the card out towards the Shito "Remember that!"

**"Kamen Ride:"** the buckle declared as he slotted the card, before pushing the levers in to finish the transformation sequence **"DECADE!"**

Nine spectral symbols formed around the teen, converging on his bucle as his armor formed over him, the six barcodes locking into place even as color flowed into the armor, the eyes flashing green as the gem on his forehead shone.

As the transformation finished, his card case opened, as if of it's own accord, three cards flying from within for Decade to catch, the Rider looking down in confusion as they flashed, the faded images clearing to reveal Kuuga themed cards.

"Let's go…Shinji…" he called out, shuffling the cards and returning them to the card case at his hip "Those two can't smile if you let this guy walk all over you."

Shinji blinked, before nodding, setting Rei ans Asuka down gently as Lelouch leapt into the fray, the teen taking one last look at the two girls, before summoning his belt once more.

"HENSHIN!" the last Ikari cried out, his belt chiming as he held his arms out, once again assuming Kuuga's Mighty form as he rushed in to aid Decade in battle against the First Shito, who snarled, ducking under Decade's sword swing before rounding on Kuuga, swatting the red Rider aside, only to stagger back as Decade's 'Blast' ride peppered him with laser fire.

"Don't let your guard down kid." The green-eyed Rider warned, coming up alongside Kuuga as he spoke, holding his weird, card-case weapon in it's frearm mode "This guy's not going down as easy as his flunkies."

"I know that!" Kuuga panted, the redclad rider slowly getting to his feet once again as he glared at the Shito, who'd managed to regain his footing and was rushing the Riders once again, roaring in defiance.

"Lessee…" Decade muttered, pulling out the cards from before and nodding, selecting one and slotting it into his buckle. **"Final Form Ride:…" **the buckle declared, even as Decade pushed the levers back in, the holographic symbol changing to read 'Kuuga Gouram' **"KU-KU-KU-KUUGA!"**

"This might tickle a bit…" he warned, Kuuga looking over his shoulder in confusion, only to gasp as ecade reached out, his hands digging INTO the red rider's back, extracting what looked like a beetle's armor as Kuuga underwent a metamorposis into a ginat, mechanical beetle. He had become the Kuuga Gouram!

"Wha-what is this?" the transformed Rider wondered, his voice echoing as he hovered alongside Decade as their opponent pulled up short, alarmed by this sudden, compeltely unexpected transformation.

"This, Shinji…" Decade revealed, his tone confident as he turned to face their foe "is our combined power!"

With a yell, the Kuuga Gouram lunged forwards, the mandibles opening to catch the startled Shito by the waist, slamming him into the surounding area, punching through buildings and rubble alike, as Decade readied his next card.

**"Final Attack Ride:…"** the buckle declared, even as Decade watched the Kuuga Gouram make another loop through the air **"KU-KU-KU-KUUGA!"**

Abruptly, the Kuuga Gouram changed course, now hurtling towards the dimensional rider, the struggling form of Adam hurling obscenities in it's native language. Decade, having seen and heard more than enough of the monster to last him ten lifetimes, turned in the direction of a nearby building that had been knocked sideways, using it as a slope as he raced up the side, gatherig speed, before launching himself forward in a flying kick, just in time to meet the Kuuga Gouram, the two of them colliding with Adam trapped in the center.

As the explosion died down, the two riders landed on their feet, Kuuga shifting back to normal as his transformation wore off, as Adam slammed into the ground, his body a mangled mess.

"H-how…" Adam whispered, the First Shito looking up at the Kamen Riders, as if in confusion, the armor on it's horned face shattered, revealing a pale skull set with green eyes "How could I lose to mere Lilim…?"

"You underestimated humanity." Decade muttered, the green eyed, dimension traversing Rider snapping his fingers in the fallen Shito's direction dramatically, as if proving a point "It's as simple as that."

"Humanity…eh?" Adam muttered, his tone whimsical, almost self-mocking, but before he could say anything else he exploded, the flames rising high into the sky, the battle finally conculded.

* * *

_A hill overlooking Tokyo 2, several days later..._

Shinji knelt in front of the hastily constructed stone markes he'd erected for his friends and familly, little more than several pebbles piled on top of one another with an incense candle planted before them, but they were set on a hill overlooking Tokyo2, which he and his parents would always picnic on when he was little, sheltered from the sun by an ancient cherry tree.

"Sorry I took so long to do this…" Shinji apologized, the last Ikari slowly finishing his prayer for his loved ones and friends, before opening his eyes, smiling up at the blue sky "It's finally over…isn't it?"

"Seems that way." Lelouch mused, the elder teen walking up behind the last Ikari, his hands in his pant pockets as they gazed out over the city of Tokyo2, which was already being reconstructed. Best estimates had Tokyo 3 being completed before the year was up, though smart money was on it taking at least three.

"I can't believe they're all gone." Shinji noted sadly, looking down at the markers sadly, his gaze heavy "Mom, Dad, Misato-san, Toji and Kensuke…" he gripped the front of his shirt where his heart beat "Asuka and Rei…"

"Sorry for your loss." Lelouch offered, surprising himself with the sincerity of the words, the older teen's gaze never leaving the sprawling city below as he spoke "Though I can't say I understand how you feel."

"Don't you have any familly out there, Lelouch-san?" Shinji asked, the last Ikari turning to face the older rider with a look of confusion in his gentle blue eyes "Isn't that why you're travelling the worlds?"

"Who knows?" Lelouch muttered, shaking his head as he shrugged "I'm just passing through until I find a world that fits…if there's someone waiting for me there…" he smirked "Well, if they want a fight I'll give it to them, if not…"

"You could stay here…" Shinji suggested, only to blush as the elder rider quirked an eyebrow at the suggestion "I mean, you really helped out," he stammered "and it's nice having another rider round to back me up."

"Who's backing WHO up?" Lelouch quipped, smirking coyly at the younger teen even as he shook his head, a grateful smile on his face "Thanks for the offer kid, but I got the feeling that I'll be on the move soon enough."

"Oh…I see…" Shinji muttered, the younger rider lowering his gaze, looking downcast at the polite refusal, only to blink as Lelouch dangled something in front of him, his eyes widening as he espied Misato's cross pendant.

"It's all I could find in the rubble." Lelouch offered, dropping it in the teen's hands as he walked off "C'mon…I think I hear Hikari calling."

Shinji blinked, looking down at the cross reverently, before slipping it over his head and rushing off after his friend. Behind him, the smiling specters of his loved ones watched him go.

* * *

_Tokyo 2 Back Street..._

"So you're moving in with Maya-san, Ikari-kun?" Hikari asked, the freckled Class Representative looking at the last Ikari as she walked between the two riders, still unable to believe she was hanging out with superheroes, the three of them heading back into town.

"Maybe…" Shinji admitted, the last ikari smiling at the girl politely, appreciating her concern "Maya-san said it wasn't right to just leave me on my own…" his smile saddened "but I think she's just scared to be alone right now."

"You ladies man you." Lelouch snorted, the elder rider smirking cruely as Shinji flushed scarlet, Hikari giggling as the younger teen denied the elder's words, only to pause, looking off to the right in surprise. "What is it?" Lelouch asked, only to blink as he espied a familiar building on the other side of a wooden fence "This is-!"

"You know this place, Lelouch-san?" Shinji asked, looking at the elder rider in confusion, even as Lelouch marched forwards, crossing the gateway in several steps and marching up the garden path "Lelouch-san! Wait up!"

"Hey! Four-eyes!" Lelouch called out, the purple-eyed teen marching around the back of the house, as some unknown premonition kept him from marching through the front door "Get out here! I want answers!"

"You're so loud…" a voice muttered, the trio coming to a halt in the back garden, where the bespectacled teen awaited them, lounging on the porch with his pipe in hand "Long time no see…" he greeted, smiling cryptically through the pipe smoke "Decade-kun."

* * *

And thus, the world of Kuuga has come to an end.

Lelouch: FINALLY!

C.C: Well he DID warn us that he wouldn't be following Chrome and Paladin's versions.

Kyugan: I lack the skill to pack so much awesome into only two chapters. Besides, I felt that drawing the chapters out could buy me some breathing space.

Shinji: Still, did you HAVE to kill off all my friends?

Hikari: What am I, chopped liver?

Kyugan: *Stage whisper* Hey Shinji! Catch her on the rebound!

Hikari: LAUGHING PREASSURE POINT!

*Giggle sound effect*

Kyugan: Pfffttttttt-BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!

Shinji: *eyes Hikari warily* Why'd he give you that again? *Sweats as she rounds on him* Nevermind!

Lelouch: Why does something tell me I'm not losing these two any time soon?

C.C: Maybe the credits tipped you off?

Next time on Code Decade:

_The mysterious teen returns..._

Lelouch: You've got some Explaining to do!

?: Don't expect to get the answers for free...

_A contract explored..._

?: Each Rider world you go to, you must perform a series of tasks to unlock the power of the cards.

Lelouch: Nine symbols…that means Nine Rider Norlds…

_And a new one drafted..._

?: It seems you two will be joining Decade on his journey…

Lelouch: You Bastard...What the hell did you do?

_A new understanding..._

Lelouch: He called me the destroyer.

?: In each world you visit, you will be given choices, choices that will affect not only you, but the worlds you visit with the decisions you make.

_A New World awaits..._

?: Leave this to me...HENSHIN!

Machine: FIST ON!

_And a new enemy awakes..._

?: I know not what has caused my revival…however...the master's resurrection is at hand…

?: If he's really one of them…then the countdown to Humanity's extinction has begun…

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	7. Intermission: RiderHolic

In something of an unique twist, Lelouch's adventures in Kuuga's world have come to an end.

Lelouch: Thank God...in all his incarnations.

C.C: What? Even the...

Lelouch: ALL...his incarnations.

Shinji: Oh C'mon, it wasn't that bad.

Lelouch: You're just glad we didn't script your whiny emo counterpart.

Shinji: Hell yes I'm glad! Kami-sama, if that little wheener is considered my 'Prime' I might just swipe the Decade Belt and go give him an ass kicking!

Kyugan: *pats him on the back* I know kid...I know... *Glares at the camera* Hey! This ain't Oprah! Roll camera!

* * *

**Intermission: Night of the living Legendorgas.**

"You bastard…" Lelouch growled, the purple-eyed, Dimension-traversing rider stepping torwards the lounging teen, his fists clenching threateningly as he advanced "You've got some explaining to do!"

"I suppose I do…" the bespectacled teen mused, smiling disarmingly at the trio as he gestured towards the tea set resting beside him on the porch, apparently unconcerned with the rider's anger "Tea? Hikari-chan? Shinji-kun?"

"How do you know our names?" Shinji demanded, the last Ikari stepping in front of an nervous Hikari, his belt appearing at the ready even as Lelouch glared at the bespectacled annoyance heatedly for dodging the question.

"It's part of my job to do so…" the teen explained as he set his pipe aside for the moment, smiling kindly at the trio as he poured tea into three cups, one of each of them, before picking up his own with a smile "Help yourselves."

"I didn't come here for tea you prick!" Lelouch snapped, marching forwards and grabbing the teen by the front of his yukata, knocking his teacup to the side with a crash of broken china, only to stumble, his strength leaving him as he slumped against the lanky teen, gasping for breath.

"Lamperouge-san!" Hikari gasped, Shinji holding her back, the last Ikari's eyes widening in alarm as he watched Lelouch, who had been perfectly fine a second ago, struggle to breath, his free hand gripping his chest as if he'd been stabbed there.

"I warned you…" the bespectacled teen noted, sighing as he looked down at Lelouch, more accurately his foot, which was resting on one of the porch steps, as the purple-eyed teen's breath devolved into a series of desperate, ragged gulps "Your kind can't enter the shop…" he sighed, rising from his seat, carrying the weakening teen over his shoulder "your just lucky the wards aren't at full strength, or they'd have destroyed you."

Grunting slightly, muttering all the while about useless layabouts that were never around when you needed them, the bespectacled teen carried Lelouch off the porch, setting him down on the grass, popping his back as Shinji and Hikari crowded their friend in concern.

"What did you do to him?" Shinji demanded, the younger Rider looking up at the lanky, bespectacled stranger in suspicion as he stood before his downed friend, even as Hikari helped the older teen to sit up.

"Nothing," the stranger replied, holding up a hand for silence "he simply activated one of the many wards that surround my shop to prevent the wrong sort of people from entering as they please." He inclined his head towards Lelouch, who's breathing had steadied as he warded Hikari off "It's not store policy to harm paying customers, but if they break the rules that's another story."

"Customer?" Hikari repeated, the freckled class representative looking up at the strange, bespectacled teen in understandable confusion, even as Shinji continued to scowl "Store? What are you talking about?"

"This is the guy that gave me the belt and sent me to your world." Lelouch muttered, earning looks of shock from the younger teens as he glared up at the storekeeper "That's why I figure if anyone's got answers as to what the hell's going on, it'll be him."

"A very astute observation." The bespectacled teen nodded, smiling down at the trio with his hands tucked into the sleeves of his yukata "However," he warned "don't expext to get the answers for free."

"Lemme guess…" Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed, dimension traversing teen snorting wryly as he matched the bespectacled teen's bemused smile with his own piercing glare "Store policy, right?"

"Correct." The teen nodded, smiling as Lelouch scoffed derisively "Though considering how abrupt we sent you off last time, I suppose I could give you a few for now," he shrugged offhandedly "consider it your change."

"This is why I hate shopkeepers…" Lelouch muttered, though he smirked as he said it, sitting up with one knee bent, his arm resting on it as he pulled out his belt buckle and the card case "First off…what the hell are these?"

"Ah…" the bespectacled teen noted, looking down at the items with a whimsical smile, as if he were remembering good times "The Decadriver and Ridebooker…the tools of your trade so to speak. To use them…"

"I already figured out how they work." Lelouch cut in, the Rider smirking at the storekeeper as he flipped the Ridebooker open, pulling out the faded cards "What I want to know is why THESE cards are blanked out."

"That's because you haven't unlocked their powers yet." The shopkeeper explained, smiling at the purple eyed teen, seemingly with the patience of buddha "Each Rider world you go to, you must perform a series of tasks to unlock the power of the cards."

"Well that explains why THESE work." Lelouch muttered, drawing out the Kuuga cards and holding them up for the man to see "They activated when Shinji and my fight with the last Shito." he explained, thumbing over his shoulder at the younger Rider "So how many are there?"

"Who knows?" the Shopkeeper mused, looking up at the sky "There are as many worlds out there as there are stars in the sky…more even," he held up a finger "However, only a select few of those worlds have the special privilege of being a Rider World."

"So I guess I'm only interested in those then…" Lelouch muttered, the teen frowning down at Kuuga's symbol on the rider's card, before looking at the Decadriver "Nine symbols…that means Nine Rider Norlds…"

"You're pretty sharp…" the storekeeper applauded, a soft smile forming across his features "Indeed, your quest will take you through Nine Rider worlds, each one with its own set challenges for you to overcome."

"Well that's ONE down anyways…" Lelouch reasoned, the elder Rider smirking up at Shinji, who returned the smile encouragingly as Lelouch shuffled the cards back into the Ridebooker, shutting it with a scoff "Eight to go…"

"Is that all you wish to know?" the storekeeper asked, looking on as the trio got to their feet, Lelouch warding a concerned Hikari off, assuring the freckled girl that he was fine, and scowling in annoyance as she continued to fuss over him.

"Two more things…" Lelouch muttered, turning to look the teen in the eyes "A guy in a mask and cape has been going around spreading rumors about me being this 'Destroyer of Worlds' or whatever…" he looked the bespectacled teen in the eyes "You know his name." He stated. It wasn't a question.

"I do…" the storekeeper admitted, his features suddenly solemn "But I can't reveal it to you. Names have a certain amount of power, revealing it would cost more than you paid for already." He inclined his head towards the rider, who'd scowled, having suspected as much "However, there is no doubt that he is your enemy, and will stop at nothing to see you destroyed."

"Situation normal then…" Lelouch muttered, shaking his head in annoyance, figuring he'd deal with the meddler when it came to it, before turning to face the bespectacled teen once again "Alright last question, just what do I call you anyways?" he smirked at the storekeeper "Or is that 'too expensive' as well?"

"Hardly," the teen chuckled, pushing his glasses up with a self-mocking smile "My name is Watanuki Kimihiro." He introduced, bowing at the waist as he smiled to the trio "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Kamen Rider Decade-kun."

"Right…" Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed teen shaking his head at the storekeepers dramatics, before turning on his heel and moving to walk off "Well catch you later, I'll stop by after I've dropped these two off home."

"I'm afraid that is impossible." Watanuki sighed, suddenly looking exhausted as he turned to look at Shinji and Hikari sadly "It seems you two will be joining Decade on his journey…"

* * *

_Watanuki's back yard..._

"What?" Shinji stammered, the younger rider looking at the shopkeeper in alarm, confusion lining his features as the ground shook beneath them, Hikari falling on her rear with a gasp, while the riders retained their footing.

"You bastard!" Lelouch snapped, the older rider struggling to retain his fotting as he glared at the solemn faced Watanuki, his purple eyes flashing with understandable suspicion "What the hell did you do?"

"I told you before didn't I?" Watanuki explained, apparently the only one unaffected by the tremors, as his yukata wasn't even rumpled "Only those with wishes may enter my shop…the fact these two could enter means they have wishes."

"Wishes?" Hikari repeated, the freckled class representative looking up at the bescepctacled shopkeeper with understandable confusion lining her features, even as the lanky teen pointed at Shinji with a slender finger.

"You wish to honor the memory of your loved ones by helping to protect the smiles of others." Watanuki revealed, startling the young rider before moving to point at Hikari "You don't wish to lose anyone else." He tucked his arms into his sleeves "Those two wishes mean you can not only enter my shop, but in order to grant them, the payment is that you must travel between worlds with Decade-kun."

"You bastard!" Lelouch snapped, the elder Rider stamping forwards, his face a mask of fury as he grabbed the storekeeper by the the front of his Yukata once again "Send them back! They've nothing to do with this!"

"It's quite out of my hands." Watanuki countered, looking nonplussed in the face of the rider's anger "Once someone enters my shop, I MUST grant their wish if it's within my power." His eyes seemed to shift slightly, and Lelouch blinked as he thought he saw a hint of, sadness, behind the man's spectacles "The price for being able to grant any wish is that I MUST grant any wish, provided they can pay the price."

"You…" Lelouch muttered, his purple eyed narrowing as he frowned at the look on the storekeeper face, his anger slowly being replaced with a sense of understanding as he set the shorter man down slowly "Did you…?"

"Lelouch-san…it's alright." Shinji offered, the last Ikari patting the elder rider comfortingly on the shoulder, an uneasy smile on his face "I mean yeah it's weird…but it's not like Watanuki-san had a choice in the matter."

"You're too soft…" Lelouch muttered, not looking at the yonger Rider, though his glare had softened as he released Watanuki, the storekeeper dusting himself down, fixing his glasses on his face before smiling at the group.

"Now then," the bespectacled storekeeper offered, smiling up at them all, as if he HADN'T been two seconds away from having his face punched in by an annoyed Rider, gesturing towards the porch, where the tea set remained "about that tea?"

"What the hell, why not." Lelouch muttered, the purple eyed rider shrugging offhandedly as he stuffed his hands into his jean pockets "But you think I can get a chair at least?" he asked, inclining his head towards the shop "Since I can't enter your damn store to sit on the porch?"

"But of course…" Watanuki chuckled, the bespectacled storekeeper clapping his hands, summoning the two little girls from before at a run "Maru, Moro," he called out, smiling at the girls as they hugged him "fetch some cushions and a carpet would you? We're having a tea party."

"Tea Party! Tea Party!" the duo cheered, holding their arms out and making airplan noises, before racing off into the store once again, their excited giggles echoing in their wake as they left to fetch the required materials.

"Those your assistants?" Lelouch asked, turning to quirk an eyebrow at the bespectacled teen, who'd reclaimed his seat on the porch and was once again smoking his pipe, while Hikari gushed at how cute the siblings had been.

"Maru and Moro help me out around the store." Watanuki admitted, smiling encouragingly at the duo as they returned, carrying a rolled up carpet over their shoulders, several pillows tucked under their free arms "There's another one, but he's most likely sleeping off a hangover around this time, and is more of a nuisance than anything else."

"Watanuki's so cruel!" a childish voice berated from seemingly thin air, the trio looking around in surprise, Lelouch and Shinji almost going for their respective transformation out of instinct, only to blink as a black ball leapt up and attached itself to Lelouch's face "Hiya!"

"What the hell?" Lelouch snapped, the Rider waving his arms comically as he stumbled backwards, Hikari and Shinji looking at their friend in alarm, before composing himself and grabbing at the blob, only for it to flip off his face, performing a backwards somersault to land next to Watanuki on the porch.

"Mokona…" the little thing declared, spreading it's stubby little arms to the side in what would have been a dramatic pose if it didn't look like a cross between a black peach and a bunny rabbit, with a blue gem on it's forehead "SANJOU!"

"Kawaii!" Hikari cheered, the normally reserved class representative's eyes immediately filling with little hearts as she scooped the thing up and hugged it close to her face "Oh he's just so adorable!"

"A talking manju bun?" Shinji gaped, the last Ikari sweatdropping at the sight, even as Lelouch marched forwards, the younger Rider noting the imprint of it's foot plastered across the older teen's face, with a look of apprehension.

"You little…" Lelouch growled, his purple eyes twitching in irritation as he, snatched the thing out of Hikari's embrace, holding it by the scruff of it's neck despite the girl's protests "What the hell are you?"

"Mokona is Mokona!" the black manju thing chirped, saluting the angry teen cheekily as it hung from his fingers, apparently heedless of how thin the ice treading on actually was "Nice ta meet'cha!"

"This is your other assistant?" Lelouch demanded, turning to level a deadpan glare at Watanuki, whose bemused smile had shifted into an exasperated one, like a long suffering parent whose child had just caused some new mischief.

"I'm afraid so…" the bespectacled storekeeper offered, turning a neutral smile to bear on the manju bun "though perhaps 'Mascot' would be a better title, since he doesn't really do anything to earn his sake."

"That's not true!" Mokona countered, the little black bean bunny shaking in Lelouch's grip as it turned to look at the bespectacled teen with an offended expression "Mokona does lots of work around here!"

"And as a result, Maru, Moro and I have to do MORE work to clean up after you." Watanuki pointed out, to which the manju had the decency to look sheepish "Now apologize to Decade-kun, or I'll cut your sake ration for the evening in half."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO-!" the manju wailed, it's eyes bulging wide with an audible 'BOING!', causing the newcomers to recoil in shock, as it somehow managed to prostrate itself whilst being held in the air "Forgive me Decade-kun! Mokona simply wanted to greet The Destroyer face to face!"

"Just for that, I'm reducing it to a quarter." Watanuki muttered, shaking his head in exasperation, ignoring the Manju's wails as he turned to look at a grim faced Lelouch "My apologies, Decade-kun, he really doesn't mean anything by it."

"He called me the destroyer." Lelouch muttered, depositing the wailing manju in the concerned arms of Hikari, his purple eyes latching onto Watanuki's "That's the second time someone's called me that…what's he mean?"

"Everyone has the potential for good or evil in them." Watanuki replied cryptically, though his eyes were solemn as he matched gazes with the rider "In each world you visit, you will be given choices, choices that will affect not only you, but the worlds you visit with the decisions you make."

He took a drag on his pipe, blowing a stream of smoke into the air, the wispes framing his features as he matched gazes with Lelouch once more.

"Will you grasp the light? Or be swallowed by darkness?" he pondered, his eyes cryptic as ever as he shrugged offhandedly, turning to walk towards Maru and Moro, who had finished setting up the picnic cloth "In either case, your choices will set the path for your journey."

Lelouch scowled, watching the lanky storekeeper retreat silently, before looking down at the Decadriver in his right hand, a strange feeling of apprehension washing over him as he walked towards the carpet and took his seat with the others.

* * *

_In another world..._

While the little group settled in for what would turn out to be one of the most energetic tea ceremonies ever, at a warehouse across town hired workers were unloading several loaded crates, filled with rare, exotic artifacts that were to be unveiled at the newest museum expo.

One such crate, which was so large it needed two burly lifters to carry it in, was carefully set on a podium, under the strict supervision of two lab coat wearing researchers, who dismissed the hired hands in order to check the contents, a giant stone tablet, within which the fossilized remains of a mummy were visible.

So intent were the researchers in their examination of this, no doubt priceless artifact, that they failed to notice the smirking, waistcoat sporting figure that had come up behind them, nor the glass-like fangs hovering behind their necks until it was too late.

Screams erupted throughout the warehouse as the fangs struck, leeching the life energy out of the hapless researchers, whose bodies slowly turning clear, like crystal, as they collapsed on the floor, looking for all the world like crystal statues.

The waist-coat clad man sneered, letting loose a feral hiss through his bared teeth as his form rippled, his elegant attire replaced by a hideous, black and bronze carapace, like some monstrous fusion between an insect and a man as he advanced on the fleeing onlookers, his pace slow and calm, as there was no reason to rush such a feast.

One of the handlers fell, the monster's fangs draining the man's life-force slowly, savoring feeling of the kill, only to stagger as several bullets slammed into his carapace in a flurry of sparks, blinding him and sending him staggering backwards in surprise.

"That's far enough, Fangire!" a voice called out, the survivors of the attack turning to gape at the petite, purple haired, well endowed young woman that had spoken. She was dressed in a black pullover and sensible, but stylish skirt and boots, her red eyes narrowing angrily as she leveled a strange handgun at the monster.

The Fangire, for that was what it was, hissed and lunged at her, the girl ducking under its opening strike, only to gasp as it caught her by the neck, kneeing her repeatedly in the stomach before tossing her around like a ragdoll, sending her crashing against the floor.

Gritting her teeth from the pain, the girl forced herself to roll onto her side, leveling her firearm at the advancing monster and opening fire once again, buying herself enough time to get to her feet as the Fangire covered its face in agony, her shots having hit their targets, namely it's eyes.

"This way, Fangire!" she taunted, turning tail and racing outside, leading the snarling monster away from the stunned survivors, who crowded after them after a moment's hesitation, looking on in awe as she turned on her heel, lashing out at the advancing monster with a weird, serrated chain-whip attachment on her firearm.

The Fangire, however, was having none of it, the monster weathering her attacks with little to no damage as it continued to advance, slapping the weapon aside as it drew close, before knocking the girl to the ground, stamping on her back for good measure as she gasped for breath.

A blast of compressed air slammed into the monster, sending it sprawling ass over teakettle across the ground, sitting up hurriedly to glare at the young man in slacks and a T-shirt that was racing towards them, a technological Knuckleduster in one hand, and a belt in the other, his young face set in a menacing glare that reminded many of a hardened Yakuza thug, or a psychotic axe murderer.

"Karin!" the teen called out, his fierce eyes causing many of the onlookers to recoil in fear, even as he knelt next to the girl, helping her sit up with a look of concern that belied his fierce features "Are you alright?"

"H-Hai…just winded a little…" Karin assured him, the purple haired beauty looking up at the stern faced teen with relief, something you wouldn't have expected considering how scary his features were at that moment "Arigatou…Kenta-kun."

"Leave the rest to me…" Kenta insisted, smiling reassuringly at the girl, before standing up, his scowl returning full force as he glared at the Fangire, which was getting to it's feet. With a clack, he fastened his belt around him, pressing the Knuckle duster against the palm of his left hand, before holding it out to the side "HENSHIN!"

"FIST ON!" the belt declared as he attached the Knuckle to it, a holographic symbol of a cross, minus the lower section, spinning out from it before forming a 3D, golden image of a knight, which settled over the teen's frame, solidifying into a white suit of armor with gold and blue highlights, the golden visors separating, unleashing a blast of heat that drove the terrified Fangire back, revealing set of glowing red eyes that glared at the monster with righteous fury.

Without a word, the white rider charged forwards, his sword slashing into the Fangire's carapace, and doing considerably more damage than his female companion had, as the monster was completely on the defensive the entire time, the stunned onlookers cheering wildly as the monster got its comeuppance.

* * *

_Back at the Expo..._

With their attention drawn to the fight however, the survivors had quite forgotten about the artifacts they'd been unpacking, and so paid little attention to them as a wall of grey fog passed through the room, washing over the artifacts like a velvet cloth, seemingly harmlessly.

However, one of the artifacts, the fossilized mummy, reacted to the Fog's passing, the rock it was incased in beginning to tremble, dissolving as the annomaly passed and the creature trapped within moved for the first time in millennia, the last of the confining debris falling off it like sand as it stood up, revealing a tall, easily six foot creature, swathed in tattered bandages, with several stitched up faces adorning it's flanks, knees and shoulders.

Letting loose a low growl, the monster cocked it's head at the sound of the onlookers, who continued to cheer for their saviors, unawares of the new threat at their backs as it somehow instinctively turned to face them, despite it's eyes being stitched together.

With a gesture, several dozen masks detached from the monster's body, latching onto several hapless survivors and dragging them, kicking and screaming, towards it's withered form. As they made contact with the bandaged frame they were absorbed, their horrified features adorning his knees, shoulders and midriff, their screams of terror silenced forever as their eyes and lips were stitched shut, their faces joining those already adorning it's body.

"I…live…again…" the mummy noted, it's own features no longer stitched together as it gazed down at it's hands in silent contemplation "I know not what has caused my revival…" it muttered, clenching a fist as it's tone deepened, growing steadily more powerful as the bandaged body filled out, revitalized by the human life force it had devoured "however, the others must surely be awakening as welll…" the dark eyes flashed ominously "which means that that the master's resurrection is at hand…"

This thought confirmed, the Mummy stepped off the pedestal, advancing through the deserted warehouse at a sedate pace, drawn by the sound of the one-sided battle occurring outside, its eyes glowing menacingly in the darkness.

* * *

_With Ixa..._

Ixa yelled as he slashed at the Antlion Fangire with decidedly more zeal than usual, sending the monster reeling backwards under the blows, sparks flying from its body, his normal reservation cast aside for the moment. While it was true that Fangires fed on human life energy, and it was Kenta's duty as Ixa to exterminate those creatures that preyed on humans, the young man knew from experience that simply because something wasn't 'human' didn't mean it was a monster.

He was actually on speaking terms with several so called 'monsters', creatures that would send normal humans into a terrified frenzy, but were otherwise ordinary folks that simply wanted to live their lives without the Inquisition coming down on their heads. Hell if things played out right, he may wind up having some as in-laws some day.

However, this Fangire had made the mistake of hurting Karin, Kenta's girlfriend and partner, and that was something that the white Kamen Rider would NOT tolerate.

Backhanding the monster, sending it sprawling across the street, the white rider shifted his Ixa Calibur to gun mode, opening fire alongside Karin, who'd come up at his side, the two of them blasting the Antlion Fangire until it fell on it's back, revealing another figure marching towards them.

"Another Fangire?" Ixa gaped, the white Rider pushing an equally surprised Karin behind him as they leveled their firearms at the advancing monster, which looked like a mummy with several faces stitched onto its body.

"Fangire?" the monster muttered, it's tone laced with dark amusement as it walked towards them, "Please…don't lump me in with these weaklings…"

It paused, looking down at the Antlion Fangire, which was gazing weakly up at it from the ground. "Become my servant," the mummy creature ordered, gripping one of the masks from its body and tossing it onto the Fangire's face, the monster twitching, before rising slowly to its feet with a guttural growl.

Ixa cursed, the white Rider and Karin stepping forwards, leveling their respective firearms at the monsters, only for the Mummy to lash out, a swathe of bandages flying from its body, Ixa barely managing to shove Karin out of the way before they enveloped him, binding his arms to his sides and lifting him off his feet.

"Kenta-Kun!" Karin exclaimed, the young woman looking on in horror as her boyfriend was spun around like an Olympic hammer, the Mummy creature sending him flying through the air, the white rider crashing into a set of stone steps at the far end of the walkway, rolling down them painfully.

"That hurt…" Ixa muttered, getting to his feet with a grimace, before charging in to meet this new opponent once more, only for the Mummy to effectively dominate the fight, slapping him around like a ragdoll, before sending him sprawling across the walkway to land at Karin's feet.

Not one to stay down without a fight however, Ixa quickly opened fire with his Calibur, cursing as the brainwashed Antlion Fangire jumped in the way, it's master swatting it aside with a growl as it advanced on the white rider, deflecting his sword strike with it's bare arm and delivering a series of rapid fire punches to Ixa's chest plate, driving him back, before grabbing the rider by the neck, his eyes glowing crimson as a they unleashed a wave of power, like a black sandstorm, Ixa's cries of pain accompanied by sparks as his armor was repeatedly assaulted, finally disengaging just as the Mummy ceased his assault.

"Pathetic." It muttered, glaring at the teenage boy it held by the throat, honestly considering killing the pest, but in the end determining that he just wasn't worth the effort, tossing the teen aside as easily as if he weighed nothing.

"Kenta-Kun!" a concerned Karin cried out, racing over to her boyfriend's side as he struggled to sit up, "Let's go!" she insisted, grabbing his arm in hers and dragging him to his feet, the two of them scampering off at an awkward pace, casting furtive looks over their shoulders in case they were pursued, only for the Mummy to let them go, the bandaged monstrosity laughing darkly as it watched them scamper off like the rats they were.

* * *

_In a room lit only by light from a nearby window..._

At another location, three very different men sat around a card table, their combined attention locked firmly on a set of playing cards, their features grim.

Normally, one would simply assume that the trio was involved in a game of high-stakes poker, and judging by the severity of their frowns, that the pot was considerable, possibly even fatal.

However what held their attention was not a wager, but rather the phantom image of the battle between Ixa, Karin, the Antlion Fangire, and the mysterious Mummy creature, their eyes watching as the bandaged monster stood triumphant as the humans made their escape.

"He's a strong one!" one of the trio exclaimed, dressed in Maoist clothing, his oriental features lined with barely-restrained excitement as he picked up the card, marveling at the sight of this new player in the game, before looking up at his compatriots eagerly "What is he?"

"It can't be…" a large teen muttered, this one dressed in a traditional black karate Gi, his solemn eyes widening in disbelief as he got to his feet, slamming a palm on the table in anger as the third member of their little group swiped the card from their Chinese friend's hands "He's-!"

"Yeah…" the third member muttered, his features grim as he lounged in his seat, looking over the picture of the victorious mummy in concern, his wild, swept back hair secured by a white sweatband "If he's really one of them…then the countdown to Humanity's extinction has begun…"

* * *

Kyugan: And that's a wrap for now.

Shinji: Wait...so this whole thing was just to fill in some plot holes?

Kyugan: Yes, and no. Basically, whenever Lelouch's journey through a Rider world concludes, an 'Intermission' Chapter will follow, wherein several plot points are addressed, finalized, or simply cast aside.

Lelouch: Ho...an interesting concept.

Kyugan: It also serves as a buffer between worlds, since Watanuki-Kun's store seems to be everywhere and nowhere.

Watanuki: We upgraded a while back.

Lelouch: You call that dusty old place an upgrade?

Watanuki: Tell me, who was it that got his ass handed to him by said 'dusty old place'?

Shinji: He's got you there Lelouch.

Lelouch: Just roll the damn preview...

Next time on Code Decade:

_The Journey Continues..._

Lelouch: So this is the new world...

Shinji: ...maybe you have a role to play here?

_A new stage is set..._

?: I'd like you all to welcome our new transfer students!

Lelouch: My name is Lelouch Lamperouge, and I'll be your new music teacher this semester.

_Another Rider awaits..._

?: I saw this in the paper this morning, apparently there have been more Fangire attacks recently!

Lelouch: So this is Kiva's world…"

_New mysteries unfurl..._

?: and I ESPECIALLY hate violins!

Lelouch: Something happened to her in the past...

_And a new Enemy arises..._

Prison Guard: There's nowhere to run Kaneshiro!

Kaneshiro: What is this…?

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	8. Chibi Kiva Capu 1

A Little earlier than expected, Lelouch's journey continues!

Lelouch: I wonder what this new world has to offer?

Shinji: Think we'll have a fight on our hands?

Lelouch: So long as I don't have to babysit I could care less.

Kyugan: Amen Brother...

* * *

**New Kiva on the block.**

"So this is the new world…" Lelouch muttered, the teen's purple eyes gazing around with interest at the towering buildings that surrounded Watanuki's little shop, like mountains of steel and glass that sheltered a little slice of the past "Doesn't seem much different from Tokyo 2."

"It's a parallel world," Shinji pointed out, the younger teen standing alongside a nervous Hikari as the three Dimension Travellers stood outside the Store's gateposts "It stands to reason that it'd look the same."

"Not that it really matters to me…" Lelouch muttered, the elder teen shrugging his shoulders with a dismissive snort as he smirked at their surroundings "All I'm interested in is finding this world's rider as soon as possible."

"Um…Lamperouge-san…" Hikari spoke up, the freckled girl's eyes widening in surprise, Lelouch turning to face her as she pointed at him, or more accurately, at his clothes "When did you get changed?"

"Huh?" Lelouch wondered, following the confused girl's stare to his clothes, blinking as he realized they had once again changed without him noticing, his jacket, shirt and pants replaced by a well pressed tuxedo and overcoat, a pink violin case with six barcodes on the corner held in one hand "Again?" he muttered, looking himself over with an annoyed frown "This is just like what happened when I came to your world."

"It looks good on you." Hikari opined, only to flush cutely at the two Riders' combined incredulous looks, waving her hands defensively before her "That is…maybe the clothes represent your role in this world?"

"She has a point…" Shinji admitted, the last Ikari looking up at the elder Rider as he eyed his new apparrel "I mean, you showed up wearing a N.E.R.V uniform in our world, so maybe you have a role to play here?"

"Watanuki'd know for sure…" Lelouch reasoned, the elder Rider turning around to face the store, only to growl, Shinji and Hikari gasping in alarm at the sight of the empty lot the store had once occupied "That four-eyed miser…" the elder teen muttered "just like last time all over again…"

"You there!" a harsh voice barked out from behind, the group turning just in time to espy a rater rugged looking police officer running towards them, whistle held between his lips "Why aren't you kid's in school?"

"Um…that is…"Shinji stammered, the younger rider looking highly flustered as Hikari fretted, the poor girl having never been challenged by a truancy officer, and this one looked particularly unfriendly, what with his crew-cut hairstyle and the fact he was running around in ragged sandals "We…were just…"

"They're with me, officer." Lelouch cut in, drawing the man's attention away from the duo as he stepped forward "My students and I were simply touring the area, we've just arrived you see, and wanted to familiarize ourselves with the lay of the land before enrolling at the campus."

"Students huh?" the rugged looking officer muttered, turning towards the elder teen, his beady little eyes narrowing in suspicion as he realized Lelouch was a foreigner "Bit young for a teacher aren't you?"

"L-Lamperouge-sensei's a child prodigy!" Hikari stammered, earning a stunned look from Shinji, who to this day had never seen, nor had he thought he'd EVER see, the girl lie to an authority figure for ANY reason "He's one of the best in his fields!"

"Oh really?" the rugged looking Truancy officer demanded, turning to look at the freckled girl with a calculating stare, snorting dismissively as she hid behind Shinji, before rounding on Lelouch once again "And just what field is this?"

"I think it should be self-explanatory." Lelouch noted wryly, and infuriatingly confident smirk on his face as he held up his violin case for the officer to see, much to the flat-foot's embarrassment.

"U-URUSEI!" the officer barked, trying to regain his cool as he glared at the teen "So you're a musical prodigy huh? Prove it!"

Shinji and Hikari flinched, looking between one another in concern, confident that the jig was up, only to blink as Lelouch opened his case, revealing a beautiful red violin with a head like a woman's face, setting it beneath his chin, before beginning to play.

The world seemed to go silent as the first few strings of the song began, Lelouch's eyes closing as his body moved, almost instinctively, creating a low, mournful tone that slowly rose in pitch and speed as the song continued, his companions, the police officer, and random onlookers on the street stopping to stare in wonderment as the song washed over them. It carried on for about a minute, before the purple eyed teen plucked the strings of the violin five times, bringing the song to a close with a last lilting trill.

"Was it to your approval, Officer Kankichi?" he asked, smirking at the dumbstruck policeman, even as a scattering of applause broke out from the surrounding onlookers, some of them tossing change in their direction, snapping the officer out of his daze as a coin bounced off his crew-cut sporting head.

"Uh…right…" the sandal sporting officer muttered, ducking around, scooping up the change as it rolled about, heedless of the looks he was getting "I'll leave you to it then, just make sure those kids get to school!"

"But of course." Lelouch assured him, the purple-eyed teen watching as the rugged flat-foot raced off with his ill-earned cash, a wry smirk on his face as he repacked his Violin "What a blatantly obvious fellow."

"Lamperouge-san…Sugoi…" Hikari gasped, the freckled class rep gaping up at the elder teen with her hands clasped over her mouth, a look of wonderment on her face "Where did you learn to play like that?"

"It's a talent." Lelouch replied, smirking at the girl as he slung the case over his shoulder, gesturing towards their bikes, which were standing on the curb "In the meanwhile, let's see about getting you to class."

"E-EH?" Shinji gaped, the younger rider snapping out of his daze, the music had reminded him of how his mother used to play, the last Ikari gaping at the elder teen in alarm, even as Hikari blinked in confusion "Wait, why do we-?"

"Because," Lelouch pointed out, pulling out his wallet, which showed himself dressed in a suit and tie, listing him as a Teacher at a 'Kurenai Academy for the Gifted' "I'm late for my first class…and it wouldn't do to keep my students waiting."

* * *

_Kurenai Academy for the gifted..._

"Ohayo Mina-san!" a cheerful woman greeted, her bespectacled features beaming at the assembled students with a feline air as she stood behind her desk, clipboard in hand "I'd like you all to welcome our new transfer students!"

"Uh…Nekonome-sensei…" one of the students called out, raising a hand in the air with a deadpan expression "WHAT transfer students?"

The sensei blinked, looking behind her to see that there was only one student standing at the side, looking distinctly out of place "Hmm…the others must be running late…" she noted, before shrugging offhandedly "Oh well, why don't you come on up and introduce yourself?"

"H-HAI!" the small teen cried out, his back snapping straight as he marched stiffly to the front of the class, turning to face his fellow students with a look of nervous apprehension on his face, "Um…My name's Tsukune Aono…" he bowed jerkily, the silver padlock pedant around his wrist clinking at the sudden movement "P-Pleased to meet you!"

"Hey-hey! Relax!" Nekonome-sensei assured the teen, patting him comfotingly on the back with a calming smile on her bespectacled face "They aren't going to eat you. Why don't you go sit next to Tachibana-kun?"

"Here!" a voice called out, a tall girl with her hair done up in buns at the side raising her hand, smiling reassuringly at the teen from behind her pinch-nez spectacles as she stood up "My name's Yuriya Tachibana, pleased to meet you."

"P-pleasure's all mine…" Tsukune offered, bowing his head shyly before moving between the aisles towards the girl, taking his seat just as the door opened, revealing two other students and an older teen, almost in his twenties, in a well pressed suit and overcoat.

"Sorry for being late," the older of the three offered, ignoring the mutters from the students, particularly the girls, who were surprised to see a handsome foreigner here "I got lost trying to find the campus, and had to ask these two for directions."

"Oh! It's quite alright!" Nekonome-sensei assured him, smiling at the foreign teen as she turned to greet them, "So you're the new Music teacher we hired?" he gaze switched to the teens he was ushering before him "And are these my other Transfer students?"

"Indeed." The teen nodded, pushing an understandably nervous brown haired teen with light blue eyes and a freckled girl with braids forward gently "They've already registered with the dean, so they're all yours."

"Well, better late than never!" Nekonome reasoned, the bespectacled woman beaming at the duo encouragingly with a decidedly feline eye-smile as she gestured to the class "Go on you two, introduce yourselves."

"H-Hai…" the boy muttered, shooting a glare at the foreigner over his shoulder, before sighing and turning to face the class, bowing nervously, but with decidedly more confidence than Tsukune had "My name's Shinji Ikari."

"Hikari Horaki." The girl greeted, steadying her nerves with a breath before bowing politely, beaming at the class with a cheerful, albeit nervous smile on her face "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Such well mannered students!" Nekonome exclaimed, clasping her hands together giddily as she beamed at them, looking like a cat that had been given a new toy for a moment, before turning to the elder teen "And you, Sensei?"

"Ah," the foreigner nodded, turning to smile at the class, his elegant features drawing several approving looks from the female denizens "My name is Lelouch Lamperouge, and I'll be your new music teacher this semester." He bent at the waist in an opera bow, one hand coming across his chest "A pleasure to meet you all."

"Now, now class." Nekonome called out, even as the girls let out squeals of excitement at the handsome, and young, new music teacher's greeting "Let's not give Lamperouge-sensei a hard time on his first day."

"You're too kind, Nekonome-sensei." Lelouch offered, smiling at the older, though not by much, woman and offering her another polite bow "Shall I take my leave?" his smile turned suggestive "Or do you need me for anything else?"

"Ah…no…" Nekonome stammered, looking a little flustered at the younger sensei's attention as she cleared her throat "No I think I can manage, though if it's alrught, the dean asked me to show you around campus during break."

"It's a date." Lelouch offered, bowing once more, reaching out and kissing the suddenly red-faced woman's hand, before making his exit, leaving the class in an uproar.

* * *

_With the class..._

'Lelouch-san's certainly got a way with women…' Shinji muttered, the last Ikari sweatdropping as the class devolved into a series of feminine shrieks, as the girls began to gossip like mad, and masculine mutters, as the jealous males glared after the elder teen, poor Nekonome too flustered to do anything about the rampage other than hold her cheeks and mewl.

"Alright quiet down!" a commanding voice called out, the speaker a tall young woman near the back, her eyes narrowed behind pinch nez glasses as she cowed her classmates into submission "It's the first day back! Can't you all act your age for once?"

"Arigatou! Tachibana-kun!" Nekonome called out, the flustered sensei having recovered her wits at last, clearing her throat before turning to her remaining transfer students with an encouraging smile "Right, Ikari-kun, you take the seat next to Aono-kun, and Horaki-kun, you take the seat in front of Tachibana-kun."

"Hai…" the two transfers nodded, bowing slightly to their new sensei before moving between the aisles of cowed, silently muttering students towards their seats, Shinji sitting next to a nervous looking young man with a silver padlocked chain around his wrist, while Hikari took her seat in front of the strict young woman from before.

"Hi, I'm Shinji."the last Ikari greeted, turning to smile at his new classmate as Nekonome sensei began taking attendance, deciding he may as well try to make the most of the current situation while he was here.

"H-Hi…" the nervous looking teen greeted, bowing slightly in his seat as he smiled at the last Ikari nervously, "I'm Tsukune, Tsukune Aono," he rubbed the back of his head "I transferred in today, just like you did."

"Well that's a relief." Shinji chuckled lightly, the last Ikari smiling at the teen's obvious confusion as he decided to elaborate by gesturing to the rest of the class with his thumb "At least I'm not the only new face around here, right?"

"Y-yeah," Tsukune grinned, smiling at the other teen's kind, gentle manner, before turning to look at the door, his face lined with uncertainty "Ano…was that guy REALLY our new music teacher? He seems kinda weird."

"You can say that again…" Shinji muttered, a deadpan expression on his face as he looked to the side, a bead of sweat running down his head, before turning back, smiling reassuringly at the teen "But he's a decent enough guy, once you get to know him."

"He's a slime ball is what he is." The girl known as Tachibana sniffed, her eyes closed as she stuck her nose in the air primly "I mean REALLY, kissing Nekonome-sensei's hand before the class like that! And coming to school dressed in a tux of all things…" she shook her head disapprovingly "does he think this is a host club or something?"

"H-host club?" Hikari stammered, the freckled girl's face lighting up at the idea of Lelouch, sitting surrounded by several buxom women in the red-light district, a martini in one hand and a lighter in the other.

"Lelouch…that is Lamperouge-sensei's just not used to Japanese customs." Shinji explained hurriedly, cursing himself for the momentary slip "He's from Europe after all." He added, honestly unsure of what else to say.

"Really?" Tachibana wondered, her eyes lighting up with interest, "My Father and uncle were from Europe too, though I've never been myself." She pursed her lips in thought "Maybe I'll ask him after club orientation."

"Club orientation?" Shinji and Tsukune asked in tandem, the two teens looking at each other in confusion, even as the door opened once more, admitting several people in assorted outfits, ranging from sports to cultural, from artistic to scientific.

The two teens suddenly had a VERY bad feeling about this.

* * *

_After class..._

"Ah, Lamperouge-sensei!" Nekonome called out, the bespectacled woman beaming as she caught up to the younger sensei as he was walking out of the staff room, his violin case in hand, and his coat tucked under one arm "Are you ready for your tour?"

"I'd be delighted." Lelouch offered, smiling at the bespectacled woman as he offered her his arm, which she accepted with a flush, the two of them walking alongside one another, earning jealous looks from the students, male and female, in passing.

"I noticed a lot of students walking about with signs earlier." Lelouch noted, nodding his head to one such cluster of students as they walked past, chatting animatedly "I take it that the clubs seek out new members early?"

"Kurenai Academy has several clubs." The bespectacled woman nodded, beaming as she led her new colleague down the halls "Sports, the Arts, Sciences, all of them have won awards in their respective fields…" she looked downcast, looking for all the world like a pouting kitten "Except the music and newspaper clubs…those two have been without members for so long there's talk of having them closed down…"

"Well that won't do…" Lelouch muttered, looking mildly perplexed at the thought, though in truth he was simply humoring the woman, as he didn't see what club activities had to do with his mission here "Aren't the teachers in charge doing anything?"

"Well, I'm in charge of the newspaper club…" Nekonome admitted sheepishly, batting her head like a cat cleaning itself "And when it was first founded it seemed pretty popular, but recently I just can't seem to get the students interested in it for some reason." She sighed "and the music club's been closed since we couldn't find a music teacher to run it."

"Maybe its because you haven't been using the right material?" Lelouch suggested, earning a look of confusion from the woman "Think about it, a school newspaper generally covers affairs within a school, right? But Students tend to gossip, so they probably already know everything before you can put pen to paper."

"You've got a point there…" Nekonome noted, putting a finger to her lips in surpise, her features downcast once more as she slumped, her face a mask of feline depression "But then what should I do?"

"Well, are there any particularly...INTERESTING stories going around town?" Lelouch asked, the purple eyed teen looking carefully at the woman as he spoke "You know, strange happenings and the like?"

"Now that you mention it!" Nekonome exclaimed, the oddly feline sensei reaching into her handbag and pulling out a newspaprer clipping "I saw this in the paper this morning, apparently there have been more Fangire attacks recently!"

"Fangires?" Lelouch repeated, the purple eyed teen frowning as the unfamilliar word pulled up information from within his brain once more, like a search prompt "You mean those monsters that feed on human life energy?"

"That's them!" Nekonome agreed, unfolding the newspaper clipping as she spoke, looking decidedly excited at the prospect of such a scoop "There've been numerous sightings of them in the area recently."

"I'm surprised there isn't a general panic." Lelouch noted, looking down at the woman with an intrigued expression. From what his 'memories' revealed, Fangires were an ancient race of monsters that had resulted from the cross-breeding of vampires with other demonic species.

Unlike their vampire relatives, fangires fed on human life energy, and could traverse the world during the daytime, assuming their true, monstrous forms only to intimidate or overpower their prey. Their savagery and hunger for life energy was so great that even the other monster races despised them, particularly the vampires, who considered them to be 'abominations' due to their tainted blood.

"Well that's the strange thing." Nekonome noted excitedly as she held up the picture for the teen to see "Word on the grapevine says that someone's been keeping them from killing people at will! A friend of mine snapped this photo the other day, it isn't all that great, but it made the front page!"

Lelouch blinked, taking the newspaper clipping from the excited woman and frowning at the blurry, black and white image that adorned the front, barely able to make out a massive, armored form with a batlike helmet and chains around it's shoulders and right leg. "Kiva…" he muttered, somehow instinctively recognizing the rider's silhouette despite never seeing him before "So this is Kiva's world…"

"Kiva?" Nekonome repeated, the woman's back straightening, and for a moment Lelouch could have sworn he saw cat ears adorning the sides of her head as she gasped in alarm "You mean the KING?"

"King?" Lelouch repeated, the purple-eyed teen looking at the flustered woman in apparent confusion, though his eyes were decidedly sharp as he turned in to avoid attracting the ears of prying students "What're you talking about?"

"Ah…n-nothing, Lamperouge-sensei!" the bespectacled woman stammered, recovering from her shock and chuckling nervously as she waved at him, an oddly feline gesture "J-just an old, urban legend…"

"I see…" Lelouch muttered, though truth be told he could see through the woman's lies as if she were made of finest crystal, a smirk coming to his face as he turned his gaze to the picture once more "Nekonome-sensei…I think I have an idea…"

* * *

_Lunch period..._

"I'm exhausted…" Tsukune gasped, the poor teen slumping against a bench in the courtyard, his neck craned back as he gasped for breath, his legs kicked out before him limply "No more…I'm dead..."

"Oh come on…" Yuriya sighed, the buxom, bespectacled class rep looking down at the teen with her hands on her hips and a prim expression on her face "So you washed out of several clubs, doesn't mean you can just give up!"

"But Tachibana-san!" the slim looking teen whined, looking up at the tall young woman with a pleading stare on his face that even Yuriya couldn't fully resist "I can't help it! I'm not good at anything!"

'Now that was an understatement…' Tachibana muttered, flinching sympatheically as she recalled the teen's less than stellar performances thus far. Sports were a complete write off, as he lacked the physical abiltiy to keep up with the other players, and the cultural clubs were another write off, he'd actually fallen asleep during the classical literature club's meeting, and the shogi club had completely dominated him.

'If failure was an olympic event, this kid would win first place for sure.' The bespectacled young woman deadpanned, shaking her head in exasperation at the thought.

Still, it wasn't SO bad, Shinji and Hikari had settled right in with the Cooking club, and the Literature Club captain had loved the Ikari teen's haiku so much he'd promised to put it on display, even if he didn't join.

"Cheer up, Tsukune-san." Shinji offered encouragingly, the last Ikri patting the depressed teen on the back with an air of camaraderie as he sat next to him on the bench "We'll find something you're good at."

"Thanks…Shinji-kun…" Tsukune sighed, the exhausted teen slumping forwards, his head lowered with a defeated expression as he got to his feet "But let's face it, I'm not all that…" he trailed off "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Yuriya asked, frowning slightly, only to blink, her head tilting to the side as she caught a distant trill "Hey…now that you mention it…does anyone hear a Violin?"

Shinji and Hikari blinked, straining to listen to the sound, which they realized was coming from the courtyard, the two of them recognizing that particular song immediately as they dashed off, a confused Yuriya and Tsukune at their heels.

Sure enough, there was Lelouch, surrounded by a crowd of enawed students and faculty members, of both genders, the purple eyed rider strumming away on his violin, playing the same song from earlier that morning, each thrum of the violin strings sending waves of emotion through the onlookers.

Plucking the strings five times, the purple eyed teen brought the song to a close with a last trill, before bowing to the applauding audience, who cried out for an encore.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Nekonome-sensei called out, the bespectacled woman clapping her hands, a clipboard tucked under her arm as she walked up beside Lelouch "Did you all enjoy the show?" the students cheered once again "Wan't to learn how? Well nows your chance! For a limited time only, the Newspaper and Music will be working together!"

"What the heck?" Yuriya stammered, the bespectacled class representative looking at the woman like she'd sprouted ears and a tail, a sentiment shared by most of the onlookers as Nekonome held up a clipboard.

"It's really simple!" the bespectacled sensei insisted "All you have to do is join the newspaper club and bring in a really interesting story or two before the end of the week! The ones which get published will receive private tutoring sessions with Lamperouge-sensei!"

"I look forward to reading your articles," the purple eyed teen-sensei called out, smiling charismatically as he plucked his violin strings, before placing a hand over his heart "Let's make beautiful music together…"

"Is this guy for real?" Yuriya deadpanned, looking on in exasperation as a horde of students litteraly threw themselves at Nekonome-sensei in order to be the first to sign up, the poor woman actucally having to scamper on top of a table to avoid being trampled, hissing like a cat at those that tried to drag her down.

"A newspaper club…" Tsukune wondered, the slight teen looking on in interest, a light of interest shining in his eyes as a smile grew on his face "That sounds interesting!" he reasoned, looking up at the others "Maybe I'll give it a shot!"

"I'm sure Nekonome-sensei will be glad to hear that." Lelouch spoke up, the purple eyed sensei startling the group of younger teens as he appeared in their midst, a teasing smile on his face as he nodded in greeting "Hey, good day?"

"Sort of." Shinji shrugged, the last Ikari trying to ignore the screeching of the elder teen's fangirls as they were dragged off by campus security "You certainly know how to work a crowd Lelou…Lamperouge-sensei."

"That's nothing to be proud of." Yuriya countered, the prim young woman looking down her nose at the purple eyed professor, which wasn't easy, considering he was head and shoulders taller than her "Lamperouge-sensei, you really shouldn't set such a bad example for your students. I mean anyone might have thought you were flirting!"

"I was merely helping Nekonome-sensei out by giving them an incentive to join the Newspaper club." Lelouch countered, smirking wryly at the young woman "It's not MY fault they forgot they could see me all they wanted simply by going the music club."

'He's the devil…' Shinji and Tsukune deadpanned, the two teens shivering in unison as they took a step back at the look on the elder teen's face, which caused even Yuriya to back off, looking unnerved.

"Laughing Preassure point!" Hikari snapped, the girl so unnerved by the look on the elder teen's face that she jabbed her thumb into the side of his neck, causing him to collapse into a fit of pained laughter "Stop making faces like that, Lamperouge-san!" she chastised, her hands on her hips as she stood over him "You scared the life out of me!"

'She's pretty scary herself…' Shinji and Tsukune thought in tandem once again, the two teens taking ANOTHER step back in case she turned her attention to them, while Yuriya sweatdropped at the sight of the hysterically laughing teen.

"Y-you little…" Lelouch muttered, his pained lauhgter slowly dieing down as he held his neck, glaring heatedly at the unrepenting Hikari "Is that any way to treat a teacher? I could have you suspended you know."

"A teacher knows better than to flirt on campus." Hikari shot back primly, apparently unconcerned with the elder teen's threat as she crossed her arms before her "Besides, it's not like you can prove I did anything."

"Little minx…" Lelouch growled, though it was with a note of approval in his tone as he dusted himself off, looking over at the group "So while I'm on the subject, anyone interested in joining the music club?"

"I'm in." Shinji agreed, the last Ikari stepping forward without a second thought, earning a confused look from Tsukune "I used to play the cello back at my old school…" he explained, trailing off with a flinch "Before we moved…"

Lelouch said nothing, but sent the younger Rider a look of understanding, before turning to an equally sadened Hikari "You're going to join too, Right Hikari?" he asked, his tone making it clear that refusal wasn't an option "It's just the three of us so far, unless you two wanna sign up?"

"Sorry, but I think I better decline." Tsukune countered, the slight teen rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrased, apologetic smile "I'm tone deaf you see…" he turned to Yuriya with a hopeful smile "what about you, Tachibana-san?"

"Me?" Yuriya blinked, looking shocked at the offer, before shaking her head "No, sorry, but I'm not a fan of music…" she looked down at Lelouch's instrument, something flashing across her eyes before she turned on her heel and marched off "and I ESPECIALLY hate violins!"

"Tachiban-sana?" Hikari wondered, looking on as the taller girl marched off, a little too fast to be considered composed, Lelouch frowning as he watched her go, as he hadn't missed the flash of emotion that had crossed the girl's features.

'Something happened to her in the past.' He muttered, watching the girl round a corner, her shirt tails slipping out of sight 'Something to do with violins in particular…'

"Lamperouge-sensei?" Tsukune called out, snapping the elder teen out of his daze, the younger man twiddling his fingers nervously "Um…do you think you could let Nekonome-sensei know I'm interested in signing up for the newspaper club?" he sweatdropped as he eyed the full scale riot of students trying to sign up "I don't think I'll get the chance to myself…"

"I see your point…" Lelouch muttered, the purple eyed teen a little unnerved himself by just how effective his little plan had turned out, only to recover quickly as he packed up his violin and turned to the younger teens with a smile "Now then, whose up for a little lunch?"

* * *

_Later that night..._

The sound of alarm bells tore through the air around Kanto West Maximum Security Prison, floodlights snapping on as the devoted men and women of the security team tracked the flight of the escaped convict that had managed to break out of his cell.

"There he is!" one of them called out, searchlights flashing out to reveal the fleeing form of a tall, handsome young man with spectacles as he raced across the grounds, his features grim as he struggled to put distance between himself and the guards "Hokuto Kaneshiro! Halt or we'll shoot!"

Hokuto ignored their orders and kept running, his eyes locked onto the distant high wall that separated him from the outside world, even as gunfire dogged his steps, the bullets impacting with the dirt just shy of his feels, sending plumes of dust into the air as he passed.

One lucky shot clipped the side of the convict's leg, sending him stumbling face-first into the dirt, not ten feet from the wall, cursing as several armed guards surrounded him in a semi-circle, while several more lined the top of the wall, armed with sniper rifles.

"There's nowhere to run Kaneshiro!" one of the guards called out, aiming a flashlight at the convict as he got to his feet "It's useless, this is as far as you go!"

Hokuto seemed to think otherwise, leaping up and grabbing several growths that ran up the wall, only to curse as two guards grabbed him under the arms and dragged him away, fighting all the while as they struggled to hold him in place.

So intent were the officers in restraining their prey, that they failed to notice his shadow, cast against the wall by their comrades' flashlights, was replaced by a horned, armored figure over ten feet tall, Hokuto's eyes glowing behind his glasses as he thrust his arms into the air with a roar, unleashing a wave of murderous red energy that sent the guards flying in all directions, those on the wall rendered unconscious almost instantly, leaving the bespectacled crook free and un-opposed.

"What is this…?" he wondered, looking down at his hands in wonderment, before scowling, turning his gaze towards the main gate, which had been rendered defenseless when the guards were knocked out, racing towards it, unopposed and unnoticed, as he slipped off into the night.

* * *

And so the first day in the World of Kiva ends on a good note.

Lelouch: A prison break is a good thing to you?

Kyugan: Hey, it sets the plot okay? That's good in my book.

Shinji: Tsukune-kun seems like a nice guy. Though I swear I've seen him somewhere before...

Lelouch: Try looking in the mirror.

Shinji: Oh ha ha we're not THAT alike!

Lelouch: You're right, YOU don't turn into a bloodthirsty monster if someone yanks your chain.

Shinji: Grr...

Next Time on Code Decade:

Kenta: Hokuto Kaneshiro?

?: That man...Might not be HUMAN.

_An escaped convict..._

Hokuto: So much has changed after 22 years...

Kenta: You're under arrest!

_A hostage situation..._

Lelouch: Taking a girl hostage...how very cliche...

Hokuto: The simplest methods are often the most effective.

_A sudden attack..._

Lelouch: Shinji, Let's Ride.

Kenta: Get out! Run!

_The Legendorgas return..._

?: Our Lord...

Kenta: HENSHIN!

_To face an old enemy..._

Mummy: KIVA?

Kivat: WAKE UP!

_Along with some new ones..._

Mummy: You bastards! Who the hell are you?

Decade: Just a pair of passing through Kamen Riders...Remember that!

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	9. Chibi Kiva Capu 2

Adventures in the world of Kiva continue!

Lelouch: Look, all I'm saying is the 'timid male lead' characters ALL use you as an archtype.

Shinji: And you think that's a good thing?

Lelouch: Considering said leads tend to be surrounded by females, that all have some measure of attraction for said lead for some inexplicable reason, yes.

Shinji: Have you never SEEN what a group of women gathered together in one place with their rivals can do when they're pissed?

Lelouch: Amnesiac, remember?

Shinji: Oh sure, play that card why don't you?

Kyugan: Moving on...

* * *

**Crime and Punishment.**

"Hokuto Kaneshiro?" Kenta repeated, the teen looking intrigued as he watched Victor Sinclair, the head of the Subarashiki Aozora no Kai, otherwise known as the Wonderful Blue Sky Organization, as the exercise conscious old man tackled a rock climbing wall at one of the many health centers he frequented "Yes, I've heard of him, the prisoner that broke out of Kanto West Maximum Security Prison three days ago, right?"

"Look at the files on the table." Victor ordered, gritting his teeth as he continued his climb, not even looking at his organization's Kamen Rider as he continued to ascend "That man…might not be human…" he muttered, earning a look from Kenta as he flipped through the files "Take a look at the photos…the top one is from his arrest, 22 years ago…the other was taken shortly before he escaped."

Kenta's eyes widened, the stern faced young man gaping at the two, as there was literally no difference to the man's appearance despite 22 years passing.

"There's more…" Victor announced, the aged man descending with his rope as he spoke, landing easily as he unclipped himself "according to the warden's report, he was already executed…" he leveled a look at the younger man "yet he's still very much alive."

"You think he's a Fangire?" Kenta asked rhetorically, knowing first hand that while Victor wasn't infallible, he wasn't the type to act on mere hunches. The aged Hunter had once been the most prominent hunter of monsters, particularly vampires, until he turned his attention to the Fangire menace, deeming them a much greater threat, since they could blend in with humans w being detected, and weren't susceptible to the traditional methods used to down other monsters "Understood, I'll get right on it."

* * *

_A Street-side Cafe..._

'So much has changed after twenty two years…" Hokuto mused, the bespectacled young man sitting in a café, enjoying his first espresso in years as he watched the crowd walk by. He was wearing a suit a size larger than he'd prefer, but seeing as he'd stolen it from a passing businessman, dumping the corpse a dumpster after stripping it bare, he wasn't about to be picky 'myself most of all.'

Hokuto honestly didn't know why he was still alive. He'd fully expected to die after they'd strapped him into the lethal injection chamber two days ago, and had been pleasantly surprised when he'd regained consciousness within a few hours, just in time to escape the incinerator, murdering the guards on hand before making his escape.

'What was that power?' the convict wondered, recalling the surge of strength that had coursed through his frame when he'd defeated the prison guards the previous night 'Where did it come from? And what does it mean?'

"Hokuto Kaneshiro." A voice called out, the convict looking up to find a young man, only just into his twenties by the look of him, though his eyes, which were VERY intimidating, made him look older standing at his table "You're under arrest."

"Really?" Hokuto asked, sipping at his coffee without a care in the world, setting the empty cup on it's saucer with a sigh, before smirking at the teen "Sorry to sound cliché…but you'll have to catch me first!"

That said, he kicked out, his foot sending his table flying at the teen's face, forcing him to duck out of the way. Hokuto used this chance to run, vaulting over other tables, earning shocked cries from the other patrons as he raced into the kitchen, the chef's outraged yell silenced as the convict jabbed a fork into the man's throat to clear a path, racing out through the back door, the teen hot on his heels.

* * *

_Kurenai Academy for the Gifted..._

"Shinji-kun, Hikari-san!" Tsukune called out, the shy young man waving energetically as he caught sight of his fellow transfer students as they bumped into one another in the main hall between classes "Are you settling in alright?"

"Yeah." Shinji smiled, nodding towards the young man he'd gotten to know over the past two days. In a way, Tsukune was a lot like him, only lacking the confidence that Shinji had developed through his battles with the Shito and his interactions with Asuka and his dad.

"Lamperouge-sensei's something else." Tsukune marveled, a look of wonderment crossing his features as he recalled the class they'd had with the man "Music, science, maths…is there ANYTHING he can't do?"

"I make a lousy cup of coffee." Lelouch spoke up, the tuxedo-clad sensei scaring the bejeezus out of the trio as he smiled at them from behind "Though it looks like you should switch to decaf either way…"

"Baka!" Hikari gasped, the flushing freckled teen whipping round instinctively and jabbing her thumb into the elder teen's neck, sending him reeling to the side, cackling madly "Don't scare me like that!"

"Y-You're the o-one who's s-scary!" Lelouch got out between cackles, glaring pointedly at the unrepentant Hikari as he tried to calm down "D-don't you know a-assaulting a teacher can g-get you expelled?"

"A teacher doesn't go around scaring his students half to death." Hikari replied primly, completely unabashed as she watched the teen recover "In any case," she asked, her features lined with concern "Did you manage to find anything out?"

"No…" Lelouch sighed, his laughter trailing off as he stood up "I looked into Tachibana's records, but there's nothing to explain her hatred of music…violins in particular."

Yuriya had been pointedly avoiding the group whenever Lelouch was nearby, not out of disdain for the man, as she was perfectly polite to him in class, she simply didn't want to be involved in their discussions about the music club.

"It's so strange…" Hikari sighed, the freckled teen looking perplexed as they walked down the steps towards the cafeteria for lunch "Tachibana-san seems to talented…I wonder why she hates music so much."

I don't think she does." Lelouch countered, earning looks of confusion from the younger trio as he walked along "I think she merely suffered something traumatic, and that music, more specifically violins, reminds her of it."

"Something traumatic?" Tsukune wondered, blinking in confusion at the teen-sensei's words, only to turn, eyes wide, as several scream erupted down the hall, where a tall, handsome young man with glasses was swatting people aside with a broom handle as he raced through the halls.

"Kaneshiro!" a voice called out, the group's eyes widening as another young man with bright orange hair and a terrifyingly fierce eyes raced round the corner, hot on the other man's heels "You're under arrest!"

"Usui-kun?" Tsukune gaped, staring at the stern faced pursuer in alarm, only to yelp as he was knocked aside by the teen's quarry, who wrapped his arm around a stunned Hikari's neck, driving the others back by holding the jagged end of his weapon to her chest.

"That's far enough…" the bespectacled man called out, smiling confidently as his pursuer backed away "I must applaud you on your persistence, bounty hunter, but I think it's time we brought this game of cat and mouse to a close, don't you?"

"Now there's an idea…" Lelouch muttered, the purple eyed sensei stepping forwards, his eyes locking onto the convicts as he turned to face the teen, making sure to keep Usui in his sights "Really, taking a girl hostage…how very cliché."

"Not my first choice I'll admit," Hokuto admitted, smiling coldly at the teacher, readying his makeshift weapon as a warning "However, I find myself in dire straits, and I find the simplest methods are often the most effective."

"So it would appear…" Lelouch noted, his purple eyes boring into the bespectacled convict's as he continued to advance on the man "However, I must insist that you release her and surrender yourself at once."

Hokuto's mouth opened, no doubt to send back a witty response, only to freeze, his features going slack as his eyes went distant, as if in a trance "As you command…" he submitted, releasing a startled Hikari, who scampered behind an equally surprised Lelouch, before turning to his stunned pursuer, his wrists held out "I surrender, Bounty Hunter."

"Uh…right…" the teen muttered, his fierce glare becoming absolutely dumbfounded as he stepped forward warily, just in case the convict tried anything, pulling out a set of handcuffs and securing the man's hands behind his back, even as police cars pulled up front.

* * *

_Ten seconds later..._

"Are you alright, Hikari-san?" Shinji asked, the lastIkari grabbing the understanbaly startled girl by her shoulders, checking her over for injuries as the police hauled the strangely silent convict to his feet "Did he hurt you?"

"N-No…" Hikari stammered, the freckled teen looking more startled than anything else by her near run in with the clearly deranged Hokuto, honestly surprised at how calm she felt, all things considered.

"Thank goodness!" Tsukune sighed, the nervous teen slumping in relief "I completely froze up when that guy came charging in!" He turned to look at Lelouch "But Lamperouge-sensei made him back down with just a look!"

"What on earth did you say to him?" Yuriya wondered, the bespectacled young woman, who'd rushed over from the sidelines once Hikari had been rescued, looking up at the teen-sensei in amazement.

"I merely told him to surrender…" Lelouch muttered, his purple eyes narrowing in suspicion as he recalled a similar incident from before, covering his left as he spoke "and he obeyed without question…"

"Lamperouge-san?" Hikari wondered, the freckled girl blinking at the clouded look on the elder teen's face, wondering what on earth was the matter as she shook off Shinji's hands from her shoulders "Is something wrong?"

"No…" Lelouch muttered, his brows furrowed as he shook his head, watching the police tuck their quarry into a patrol car and drive off "Just lost in thought…"

Tsukune blinked, wondering what on earth was the matter, only to flinch as his ears caught the telltale sound of a violin playing, a note only he seemed to hear "Sorry, everyone!" he called out turning on his heel and racing off "I just remembered I left the stove on in my dorm!"

"But…our dorms don't have stoves…" Shinji wondered, looking at the retreating form of his friend in confusion "We eat in the cafeteria!"

Lelouch frowned, watching the teen run off, his head cocked to the side as he listened to the repetitive whine of a violin, like a siren. "Tachibana, look after Hikari." He ordered, the girls blinking in confusion as he stepped forwards determinedly "Shinji, let's ride."

Shinji blinked, his eyes widening as he caught the elder Rider's meaning, before turning to apologize to their friends as he raced off to catch up with Lelouch, who's longer stride had already carried him well out of sight.

* * *

_A back road, headed for prison..._

Hokuto sat silently in the patrol car, more than a little confused as to how he got there, but hardly about to make a fuss with three armed officers flanking him, especially since he couldn't use his hands.

The last thing he remembered was staring down that young man in the tuxedo, 'Curious fashion sense for a student,' he noted offhandedly 'perhaps a teacher?', and after that, he recalled nothing until he found himself sitting between his pursuer and an armed officer, on his way back to prison.

'That young man must have done something…' the convict deduced, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he recalled the tall, handsome foreigner's face 'Hypnosis? Doubtful, he didn't have anything with him to distract me…'

His thoughts were interrupted as something exploded outside the car, destroying the back-up car that was tailing them in case he escaped, Hokuto's eyes widening as SOMETHING dropped onto the bonnet of theirs.

It was humanoid, but that was as far as the resemblance went, it's body composed of a mass of blue scales, like snakes had crawled all over it's limbs, two serpent heads adorning it's skull, set above a pale face that was lined with purple markings.

"Fangire?" Kenta exclaimed, the bounty hunter going for His Ixa Knuckle, only to gape as a familiar face, the Mummy creature from yesterday, landed on the back of the car, the driver swerving instinctively to throw them off, only for them to jump free of the vehicle, just as it crashed inside a warehouse.

"It's dangerous to stay here!" Kenta called out, grabbing an unresisting Hokuto by the elbow, as crook or not he was in police custody, and thus Kenta's responsibility "Get out! Run!"

Hokuto didn't need to be told twice, accepting the younger man's aid in vacating the vehicle, sticking close to him as they scrambled to safety, only to pull up short as the creatures appeared before them, tensing as their arms came up, only to blink as they sank to their knees, hands against their chests in submission.

"We have come for you…" the Mummy intoned, his bandaged head rising to look the understandably startled Hokuto in the face, one bandaged, taloned hand raised beseechingly towards the bespectacled man.

"Our lord…" the serpentine creature finished, it's voice that of a woman as it mimicked it's partner's gesture on to jerk as the police officers opened fire, sparks rising off their bodies as they rose to their feet, two serpent s lunging out from behind her head to grab the officers by their heads, easily lifting them off the ground as she tossed them to the side, howling and clutching their faces.

"Stay back, Kaneshiro!" Kenta ordered, pushing the convict behind him as he readied his Ixa Knuckle, glaring at the advancing monsters as he pressed the device against his palm, holding it across his chest as it chimed "HENSHIN!"

**"FIST ON!" **the belt chimed as he slotted the knuckle into place, the golden hologram of his armor washing over him, Ixa automatically activating Burst mode as he charged his foes, opening fire with his Calibur, only to gape as they vanished before his eyes.

"What the-?" Ixa stammered, pulling up short at their sudden disappearance, only to jerk as the serpent creature tackled him from the side, one arm going around his neck as the other relieved him of his weapon, the mummy creature grabbing him by the legs and hurling him through the air.

Ixa cursed, using his training to land on his hands, flipping himself back onto his feet as he turned to face his foes, only to be sent sprawling backwards as the serpentine creature shot him with his own Calibur, the anti-Fangire rounds sparking as they slammed into his armor.

The monsters didn't let up with that, pummeling the white rider between one another like a ping-pong ball, only to trail off as the sound of a motorcycle engine drew nearer, turning to face this new threat, who was clad in red, black and silver armor adorned with chains, the visor of his helmet oddly reminiscent of a bat's wings.

"Kiva! the Mummy gaped, staring at the oncoming rider in alarm "You bastard!" it snarled, stepping forwards, only to be knocked flying as Kiva's cycle rammed into it, sending him soaring through the air, crashing through a pile of barrels, rising to it's feet with a snarl as leapt through the gap, the Dark Rider clashing with his mummified foe with a yell.

The two of them clashed repeatedly, Kiva seemingly having the upper hand as he repeatedly drove the Mummy back with a series of rapid punches to the chest, following it up with a kick to the head, only for the mummy to grab the offending limb, spinning Kiva around like a hammer before hurling him into a pillar.

While this was going on, the serpentine monster continued to assault Ixa with his own weapon, the white rider struggling to defend himself as best he could against the blade as the monster slashed at him relentlessly, before backhanding him, sending him over the railing of the catwalk to the floor below.

Ixa cursed, landing on all fours like a cat and rising swiftly to his feet, only to be caught off guard as the monster leapt down on him with an overhead blow that sent him sprawling to the side, his armor sending up sparks as an amazed Hokuto looked on from the shadows, apparently forgotten, but to enraptured by what he was seeing to make his escape.

* * *

_Back to the fight..._

Kiva staggered to his feet, moving into a stance as he moved counter to his opponent, the two circling each other, watching for the slightest opening, the Mummy making the first move, gesturing suddenly, Kiva's eyes widening as the Antlion Fangire leapt out of the ground, tackling him from the side and double teaming him alongside it's master.

Cursing, the dark rider let himself be dragged to his feet by the mummy, elbowing the monster in the face before kicking it in the face to drive it back, deflecting an attack from behind from the Antlion Fangire, sending the enthralled monster to the floor with a savage backhand across it's masked face, slipping a fuestle from the holsters adorning his belt and placing it between the teeth of the bat that adorned his buckle.

**"WAKE UP!"** the bat declared, blowing into the fuestle, a lilting tune echoing around the rider as he moved into a stance, his silver-clad right leg before him as he crossed his arms before his chest. The chains securing the leg shattered, the armor opening up to reveal a red, winged boot adorned with three green gems, Kiva leaping into the air with a yell, coming down on the Antlion Fangire with a kick to the chest, backflipping off the monster as it screamed, a winged crest hovering before it as it's skin changed to a mosaic of stained glass, right before it shattered into several fragments, like cheap glass.

Before the Dark Rider could celebrate his victory, Ixa came staggering onto the scene, the white rider looking the worse for wear as they turned to face the remaining monsters, the serpentine monster firing at them with Ixa's Calibur once again, the anti-Fangire rounds kicking up a cloud of smoke that hid the Rider's charge, though it also blinded them to the Mummy's attack, as it sent several bandages out to ensnare them, lifting them off the ground and slamming them repeatedly against the support beams, before hurling them across the warehouse, their transformations deactivating, revealing a battered Kenta and Tsukune.

"Time to die…" the serpentine monster chuckled, the two of them stepping forward eagerly, the Calibur having disappeared along with it's master's armor, their hands reaching out to the injured humans eagerly, only to stagger back as someone shot them in the back.

"That's far enough…" a voice called out, the monsters turning to find two more figures standing in the background, both aiming some sort of firearm at them. One was clad in black and green armor, and was holding a golden bowgun, the other was clad in pink armor with black and white highlights, and was aiming what looked like a cross between a gun and a metal book at them.

"You bastards!" the Mummy growled, the bandaged monstrosity rounding on the accursed interlopers as his serpentine partner hissed at them in anger at the unwanted intrusion "Who the hell are you?"

"Just a pair of passing through Kamen Riders…" the pink one shot back, his tone almost mocking as he held up a deceptively innocent looking card whilst continuing to aim his unusual looking firearm at them "Remember that!"

**"Attack Ride: BLAST!"** the pink one's buckle announced, the rider aiming his firearm at the advancing monsters, several illusionary replicas of the weapon appearing around it as they fired simultaneously, forcing the monsters back under the assault, as the green one drew back on his bow gun, loosing a bolt of golden energy into the Mummy that send it crashing backwards into a pile of crates.

"You bastard!" the serpentine one hissed, rushing the duo in a rage, only to be double teamed, the two of them ducking out of range of her strikes, grabbing her arms before delivering a series of punishing knees to her unguarded flanks, following it up by two simultaneous kicks to the chest that sent her sailing after her comrade, shrieking all the while.

Not giving the monsters room to breath, the Kamen Riders advanced on them, ignoring the struggling forms of Kenta and Tsukune as they tracked their quarry deep into the warehouse, the Mummy snarling as it's eyes flashed, unleashing a walk of force, like a dark sandstorm at them, blinding them just long enough to make their escape.

Hokuto, who'd been watching from the sidelines, felt a hand wrap around his mouth before he was dragged off his feet and out of the warehouse at a run.

* * *

_Back at the warehouse..._

"Blast it…" Decade muttered, the green-eyed rider glaring at the spot their targets had previously occupied with annoyance, an equally vexed Kuuga standing at his side "I hate it when they just cut and run."

"I wonder what they were after…" Kuuga muttered, the currently green-clad Rider looking around the warehouse in confusion, bowgun in hand "This doesn't look like the best place to drain life energy."

"Those things weren't Fangires." Decade muttered, th green-eyed Rider's tone grim as he kept an eye out, not putting it past the monsters to try a last-ditch sneak attack "Don't ask me how I know, but those two weren't Kiva's usual enemies."

"How do you know that?" a strained voice called out, the two foreign Riders turning at the sound to find a battered Kenta Usui and Tsukune Aono staggering towards them, the stern faced teen eyeing them suspiciously.

"Tsukune-san?" Kuuga stammered, the currently green-clad rider eyeing the nervous looking teen in surprise, which Tsukune mirrored as the green-clad rider de-henshined, revealing a wide-eyed Shinji.

"Shinji-Kun?" Tsukune gaped, the nervous looking teen staring at his fellow transfer student in outright, understandable surprise, a confused Kenta looking between the two as his partner's eyes widened "Wait, so that means…."

"Quite the interesting after school activity you have…" Decade muttered, unfastening his Decadriver, his armor vanishing, revealing a smirking Lelouch "Tsukune Aono…or should I say, Kamen Rider Kiva?"

"You know these guys, Tsukune-san?" Kenta asked, the bounty hunter turning to look at the younger teen for confirmation, even as Tsukune gaped at the teen-sensei like a goldfish, his eyes brimming with confusion.

"I'm the new music teacher at Kurenai Academy for the Gifted." Lelouch informed the bounty hunter, bowing towards him dramatically with a smirk "We met earlier today, Bounty Hunter…or should I say, Kamen Rider Ixa?"

"You?" Kenta wondered, his eyes widening as he recognized the purple-eyed foreigner from the incident at Tsukune's school, only to curse, looking around the deserted warehouse in growing alarm "Dammit! Kaneshiro!"

"You mean the felon you apprehended?" Lelouch noted, a frown marring his features as he eyed their surroundings "If he's as smart as he looked, he'd have made his escape by now…" he snorted "unless one of those monsters grabbed him as a snack during their escape, in which case he's beyond our help now."

"That's a bit cold, Lelouch-san…" Shinji muttered, shooting the elder Rider a reproaching look, though truth be told the last Ikari could care less about the scumbag that had taken Hikari hostage and threatened her life.

"In any case…" Kenta muttered, turning to level a suspicious glare at Lelouch, who quirked an eyebrow at how intimidating the teen looked "You seem to know what those monsters were…care to elaborate."

"But of course…" Lelouch agreed, holding up a finger "But this is hardly a fitting place to talk, is it? Let's go somewhere more appropriate."

* * *

_Off to the side..._

Unbeknownst to the riders, a fifth figure was watching them, his eyes narrowing at the two newcomers, who had interfered with his plan to ingratiate himself with Kiva and Ixa.

"Just as he said they would…" the shadowy figure muttered, his eyes narrowing spitefully as he glared at Kenta's back, fingers clenching as he resisted the urge to attack the Bounty hunter, before turning on his heel in disgust "Let's go, Rey-Kibat."

"As you wish…" a voice agreed, mechanical wings fluttering as a small figure moved to follow its partner, slinking out of sight, in order to plan their next move.

* * *

_Cafe Julian..._

Several minutes later, and Lelouch was seated on a chair at Café Julian, the members of the Wonderful Blue Sky, accompanied by Shinji and Tsukune seated across from the teen as he savored his coffee.

"Ah…magnificent blend…" he applauded, nodding towards the manager of the manager, a small, bespectacled man whom everyone referred to as 'Master', despite lacking any fighting ability "Jamaican Blue Mountain correct?"

"You have a good nose." The pudgy little man noted, smiling approvingly at the foreign teen as he wiped a nearby table down with a cloth "You're only the second person I've seen to figure it out so quickly."

"It's a talent." Lelouch commented, taking a sip of the caffeine, before setting the cup aside to look the stern faced Victor in the eye "Those monsters were Legendorga. As the name suggests, they're a much greater threat than the Fangires, whom in the past were little more than slaves to their whims."

"If that's the case," Victor muttered, the elderly man's moustaches twitching as he ran an evaluating eye over the purple-eyed teen to determine whether he was lying or not "Why haven't I heard of them before now?"

"Because the Legendorgas were supposedly sealed away by Kiva long ago." Lelouch shot back, smirking coyly as he took another sip of his delicious coffee, while everyone turned to look at Tsukune in amazement.

"Eh?" the understandably confused teen gaped, looking around the suddenly quiet cafe in alarm at the sudden attention he was getting from the others "M-Me?" he repeated, pointing at himself for emphasis "But I don't remember doing that!"

"Of course not." Lelouch scoffed, setting his coffee cup aside "This happened centuries ago, I'm referring to the previous wielder of Kiva." He smirked at the teen "However…since his power has been passed down, those monsters are likely planning to exact their vengeance out on you."

"You're certainly well informed…" Victor muttered, the grizzled old veteran's eyes narrowing suspiciously at the teen as Tsukune devolved into a panic attack, a concerned Karin and Shinji trying to calm the poor teen down, while Kenta sweat dropped at his antics "Where did you get this information?"

"I have my sources." Lelouch replied cryptically, sipping his coffee, apparently unconcerned with the man's suspicions. After all, he could hardly tell the man that it was because he seemed to have a World Encyclopedia inside his head, could he?

"I see…" Victor muttered, impressed despite himself at the younger man's fortitude, not even Kenta could withstand a glaring contest with him for too long, nodding his head in acknowledgement "Can you tell us more about these Legendorgas? What are they after? Why did they revive now of all times?"

"I can't speak for the latter," Lelouch countered, shrugging offhandedly "Perhaps the previous Kiva didn't do a thorough enough job sealing them off." He turned to level a look at the leader of the Wonderful Blue Sky "However, what I can say for certain, is that Hokuto Kaneshiro, the convict that your errand boy managed to lose, is the the key to the puzzle behind their revival."

"Kaneshiro?" Kenta repeated, scowling at the 'errand boy' comment, only to blink as he recalled something from their encounter with the Legendorgas at the warehouse "Now that you mention it…" he muttered, looking between a solemn Lelouch and grim faced Victor as he spoke "They referred to Kaneshiro as their 'Lord'."

"Rather pretentious of them to use English." Lelouch snorted, earning a befuddled look from the user of Ixa, "Think about it, an Egyptian Mummy and a Medusa, which have been sealed for millennia, conveniently speak fluent Japanese?"

"I could care less if they speak Swahili." Victor muttered, his features grim as he glared at the purple eyed teen "What I want to know is what they want with Kaneshiro…and where the hell they disappeared to."

* * *

_An ominous looking castle..._

Even as Victor spoke his suspicions aloud, a different sort of meeting was taking place at a deserted castle, far beyond the reach of modern man, it's white walls flawless despite the age of the years it had endured. Lightning crashed in the background, the halls of the structure lit by oil lanterns and flaming torches, as the Legendorgas, four in all, converged on the grand hall, where Hokuto Kaneshiro lay, the bespectacled convict's body resting on a couch, which was suspended several feet in the air, his body twitching spasmodically as he gazed blankly up at the ceiling.

"My Lord…" the Mummy Legendorgas called out, his deep voice echoing throughout the halls of the castle as he reached out to the suspended couch, clenching his hand before his bandaged face "Awaken!"

Hokuto twitched, tossing aside the jacket that had been placed across his form as he sat up straight, leaping off the side of the couch to land easily on all fours, slowly standing back up, a cold, confident smirk forming across his face as he walked forwards, removing his glasses and tossing them to the side with one hand, the other brushing his hair back as he turned to face the Legendorgas, a golden aura erupting from his body, taking the form of a giant, almost three meters tall, armored warrior with glowing golden eyes and two curved black horns as it hovered over the human, the Legendorgas quickly prostrating themselves before the man as lighting crashed in the background.

"I have returned."

* * *

Shit be getting all up in this bitch...

Ghost Nappa: Word.

Lelouch: Oh God not him...

Shinji: This is certainly getting exciting.

GN: Hey! Lulu! Lulu!

Lelouch: *Sigh* What?

GN: I'm a GHOST! WOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Lelouch: And here i thought nothing could be more anoying than babysitting two...

Hikari: LAUGHING PREASSURE POINT!

Nappa: HAHAHA-AHA...Ah....PMS.

Hikari: *Holds up Hand vacuum*

Nappa: Uh-oh...Cut to comercial!

Next time on Code Decade:

Victor: These are the Prison Files on Hokuto Kaneshiro...

_A look into the past..._

Shinji: Who builds a prison on top of ancient ruins?

Karen: The'res nothing we can do about that...all this happened twenty two years ago...right?

_An impossible task..._

Lelouch: There might be a way...

Kibat: But we'd need HER permission to use it...

_They set out to correct the mistakes of the past..._

Lelouch: So this is Castle Doran...

Kenta: She can be quite...violent...when she's irked.

Lelouch: Most women in my life tend to be like that.

_But new enemies await..._

Tsukune: What are you doing here?

?: The destroyer of world's is EVERYONE'S enemy.

_Seeding mistrust..._

Kenta: I KNEW there was something fishy about you!

Lelouch: This AGAIN?

_And the Lord Awakes..._

?: Just what time do you retards think this is?

Kibat: I warned them this would happen...

_The Gate to the past is opened..._

?: Good luck, brats.

Lelouch: Hey wait a minute-!

_And ushers in new problems..._

?: You two Fangires? Doesn't matter, if you are...you're not getting near her while I'm around.

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	10. Chibi Kiva Capu 3

Decade's adventures in the world of kiva continue!

Ghost Nappa: *Flying all over the place making airplane noises* NEEEEYOOOWWWRRR...

Kyugan: Good grief...who gave that idiot sugar?

Lelouch: *Faking Shinji's voice* I did!

Shinji: What the-?

Hikari: LAUGHING PREASSURE POINT!

Kyugan: *As shinji falls over laughing in pain* I didn't know you could do that.

Lelouch: Neither did I, 'Amnesiac', remember?

Kyugan: You beautiful bastard... *sniffs* I'm so proud!

* * *

Window to the past.

"These are all the prison files on Hokuto Kaneshiro you asked for." Victor muttered, the head of the WBS handing the file to Lelouch, who accepted it gratefully, flipping through the contents with an evaluative stare "According to this, during a condolence live performance, Kaneshiro tool Towa Sakakibara hostage and tried to break out." The old man's features turned grim "During to the resulting riot, it seems he stumbled into some ancient ruins underneath the prison."

"Who builds a prison on top of ancient ruins?" Shinji deadpanned, the younger Rider sweatdropping at the sheer...absurdity of the image that was summoned "and how'd this guy just stumble into them? Coincidence?"

"In my personal experience there's no such thing as 'coincidence'…" Victor muttered, the grizzled veteran's lips grim behind his moustache as he frowned at the murderer's files from beneath the brim of his hat.

"Wise policy." Lelouch noted, the teen's mismatched eyes narrowing as he looked over Hokuto's, rather exemplary, in the darkest sense, record. The man was literally a holy terror, even the warden was scared of him.

"But…there's nothing we can do about that…" Karin opined, the purple haired young woman looking on in concern from beside a nervous Tsukune "I mean this all happened twenty-two years ago…right?"

"There might be a way…" Lelouch mused, the elder of the foreign Rider's turning to look at Tsukune, or rather, the mechanical bat which was perched on the teen's shoulder "Though we'd need access to Castle Doran."

"E-Eh?" Kibat bat the 3rd stammered, his red eyes widening in alarm, even as the Wonderfull Blue Sky members turned to gape at Lelouch, once again surprised at how well informed the foreing teen was "H-How do you-?"

"Let's not play the guessing game, shall we?" Lelouch insisted, looking the third heir to the Kibat clan in the eyes with his own mismatched pair "After all, I think we both know what I'm talking about."

"W-well...there IS a method…" Kibat muttered, the golden mechanical bat looking highly unnerved by the foreign Rider's stare as he flapped his wings to compose himself "But we'd need HER permission to use it…"

"Her?" Lelouch asked, the Passing Through Rider frowning as the members of the WBA flinched as one, Victor's Uber moustache actually twitching as Tsukune looked to the side in mildly sheepish discomfort "Who're you talking about?"

"The Lord of Castle Doran." Kibat replied, his mechanical wings flapping as he took to the air, loosing a worrisome sigh as he fluttered around their heads "Well I guess there's no other thing for it…C'mon, I'll lead the way."

"Why do I have the sudden feeling something bad is going to happen?" Shinji asked, the younger of the foreign Riders turning to look across at Lelouch, even as Victor muttered that he was 'staying right here goddamit, more coffee!'.

"Because you're sane." Kenta muttered, the stern faced teen shivering in apprehension, an equally unnerved Karin holding his hand.

_

* * *

_

_Outside Cafe Julian..._

As the group saddled up, they were unaware of the figure watching them from behind a pillar, his cape wrapped around him like a bat's wings as the light glinted off the reflective black surface of his helmet.

"Looks like they're off…" a voice noted, a coy, female tone eching from behind the masked man, the sound of small wings audible in the shadows "Such a shame he has no clue what's waiting for him…his expression is sure to be DELICIOUS."

"Decade…" the masked man muttered, his hidden stare boring into Lelouch's back as the rider pulled on his helmet, kick-starting his machine with a twist of the throttle, riding off into the street, following Tsukune's lead "Prepare to face your worst nightmares…"

_

* * *

_

_A Park on the outskirts of town..._

"So this is castle Doran…" Lelouch muttered, dismounting from the Machine-Decader as he gazed upon the slumbering form of what appeared to be a dragon fused with a castle "The Great Wyvern that was enslaved by the Vampire race to be their living stronghold against the Fangire menace."

"As soon as this is over you are going to sit down and tell me how you know this shit…" Kenta growled, eyeing the purple eyed teen suspiciously as he helped Karin dismount from the Ixalion, Tsukune having already dismounted from the Machine-Kivaa, leading the group past the slumbering head of the beast towards the hidden entrance he used when he didn't feel like being swallowed alive.

"You can try." Lelouch offered, smirking confidently at the orange haired teen, earning a disapproving look from Shinji and Karin, who stepped between the two in case a fight broke out, turning his attention to Kibat, who was leading the way "So where's this 'Lord' you were telling us about?"

"She's normally asleep this time of day…" Kibat admitted, his tone hesitant as he flapped through the air "If the situation wasn't so urgent I'd never dream of disturbing her…she can be quite…violent…when she's irked."

"Most of the women in my life tend to be like that…" Lelouch muttered sardonically, earning a confused look from Karin and a suspicious glare from Kenta, who put his arm around his girlfriend protectively "However, I'm hardly afraid of a little PMS."

"Perhaps WE can change your mind…" a calm voice called out, the group halting as they entered a deserted ballroom, where three figures sat around a table, having apparently been waiting for them to arrive.

One, dressed in a scruffy tuxedo with his collar and tie undone, sat to the right, his cheek resting on his knuckles as he smiled lazily at them, his messy black hair held back by a headband.

The next, sitting on the right, was a tall teen, dressed in traditional black Maoist clothes, his hands tucked inside the oversized sleeves, as he eyed the newcomers with barely restrained excitement.

And finally, the last one, dressed in a traditional black kimono and Geta sandals, his arms crossed before him as he glared at the group from between the other two.

"Gin-san, Fanfan-san, Haji-san…" Tsukune greeted, the timid looking Kamen Rider gazing at his comrades, the three members of the Mazoku clans and the caretakers of Castle Doran, in surprise "What are you doing here?"

"Might ask you the same thing…kid." The one called Gin asked, his scruffy features losing their bemused stare as he turned to level a glare at the teen "What do you think you're doing? Bringing the enemy inside Castle Doran?"

"Ugh…this again?" Kenta muttered, the orange haired college student looking at the monster trio with a hint of exasperation in his voice as Karin looked sheepish at his side "How many times I gotta say I'm sorry?"

"More times than you can count," Gin cut in with mocking smirk, causing Kenta's temper to flare, only to shake his head and hold up a finger "But we aren't talking about you, Ixa…" he leveled a glare to the side "We're talking about HIM."

"Lelouch-sensei?" Tsukune stammered, the timid teen turning to look between his monster comrades and the suddenly scowling foreign teen, who had a sudden suspicion as to what was going on "But…he's not an enemy…"

"The Destroyer of worlds is EVERYONE'S enemy." Haji muttered, his own eyes boring into the teen in question's, the group's eyes widening in alarm, even as Lelouch's narrowed in annoyed confirmation.

"This again?" the Passing Through Rider muttered, glaring at the monster trio as he shook his head i annoyance, ignoring his comrade's looks of confusion "Lemme guess, guy in a black helmet and cape right? Told you some crackpot story involving mass global genocide?"

"He told us that you were the cause of the Legendorgas reviving." Haji muttered, Kenta, Karin and Tsukune's eyes widening as they turned to gape at Lelouch in shock "Your arrival in this world caused a temporal distortion that weakened the seals imprisoning them."

"I knew there was something fishy about you!" Kenta snapped, the college student/bounty hunter glaring at Lelouch angrily as he pushed a startled Karin behind him "You're working with the Legendorgas aren't you?"

"I swear I'm going to murder that caped creep." Lelouch muttered, even as Kenta activated his Ixa-Knuckle and the three caretakers shifted into their true monstrous forms, slapping on the Decadriver and grabbing a card from the Ridebooker "Henshin!"

"**Kamen Ride: DECADE!"** the Decadriver called out, Lelouch's form vanishing under his armor, lashing out with his sword to deflect a strike for Ixa's Calibur, driving the white Rider off with a kick to the chest, only to be tacked by a blue werewolf with a horn on his head.

"Back off Fido!" Decade snapped, backhanding the last of the Wolfen clan to get some breathing space, firing at him with the Ridebooker, only to duck out of the path of a sphere of condensed water, courtesy of a Merman "Hey! Did you just spit at me?"

"You've got bigger concerns…" a deep voice pointed out, Decade narrowly managing to roll out of the path of an enormous fist as it ploughed into the floor, punching through the wood. The speaker, a giant purple monster that resembled Frankenstein's monster in a trench coat, growled at the near miss, before pulling his fist out of the ground.

"Regular house of horrors this castle…" Decade noted wryly, smirking as he backed up to avoid a sword attack from Ixa, reaching into his Ridebooker and drawing three cards "Four on one's a bit unfair…" he noted "so let's even things up a bit!"

"**Attack Ride: ILLUSION!"** the Decadriver announced, Decade's form blurring as he seemingly split into four identical copies, his opponents freezing at the sudden increase in numbers, which allowed Decade the opening he needed to slot in another card **"Attack Ride: BLAST!"**

"Fire in the hole!" the Decades called out, firing in tandem, trapping their opponents within a circle of fire, sparks erupting off their forms as they howled in agony. But the last of the Frankens was having none of that, and with a mighty roar, slammed his mighty fists together, generating an huge electric charge, before punching the ground, sending a shockwave through the room. "GAH!" Decade yelled, all four of him falling to the ground, the replicas fading away as he rolled quickly to his feet.

"Lelouch!" Shinji called out, the younger of the two foreign Riders looking on in concern as his friend and travelling companion was ganged up on once again, his features hardening as he prepared to summon his belt.

"Stay where you're at Shinji!" Decade snapped, the Green-eyed Rider's head snapping to the side, his words halting the teen in his tracks as he locked blades with Ixa "This is my fight! Don't get dragged into it!"

"Lelouch-san…" Tsukune gaped, gazing at the Green-Eyed Rider, the teen's eyes widening in shock at the selflessness of the elder Rider's words, before hardening as he held out a hand and called out "Kibat!"

"Yosh!" the mechanical bat cried out, flitting around his young partner excitedly "Kivatte, Ikuze!" he called out, before flapping down to Tsukune's extended hand and biting down with an audible chomp "GABURI!"

Tsukune, used to the now familiar pain of his partner's bite, didn't even flinch as he felt the Kibat clan's special venom course through his body, causing several black, vein-like tattoos to form on his face and neck as quicksilver formed around his waist, forming the Kivat belt "Henshin…" he muttered, allowing Kibat to attach himself to the Power Roost of the Kibuckle, quicksilver washing over his frame, his body seemingly growing about two feet in height and muscle mass as he assumed the form of Kamen Rider Kiva.

Moving into a stance, the Dark Rider leapt into the fray, Shinji's eyes widening in alarm, only to blink as Kiva tackled Ixa, dragging the White Rider away from the fight. "The hell're you doing, Tsukune?" Ixa demanded, thrashing in the younger, albeit stronger rider's grip as Kiva held him in a full nelson "Have you lost your mind?"

"Lamperouge-sensei isn't the enemy!" Kiva insisted, struggling to hold the White Rider in place, even as the battle between Decade and the arms monsters continued "Think about it! Why would he have helped us back at the warehouse if he was?"

"He wanted access to castle Doran!" Ixa insisted, the white Rider thrashing in the taller rider's grasp, only for Kiva to hold on tighter to his comrade/former enemy/Rival "You and Kibat are the only ones that know how to find this place!"

"But if that's the case why didn't he just take me hostage back at the warehouse?" Kiva pointed out, Ixa's struggles halting as he saw the rider's logic "If he was really working with the Legendorgas, then they could have taken us hostage and used me to find Castle Doran."

"That's…a good point…" Ixa muttered, the white Rider lowering his Calibur as his infamous temper faded, stepping out of Kiva's hold with a frown "But...the Arms Monsters said the Legendorgas revived when he showed up…"

"They were lied to." Shinji insisted, the younger Rider looking up at the Local riders insistently, his arms spread wide "The same guy that told them that tried the same thing with me, when Lelouch came to my world."

"YOUR world?" the two Riders repeated, their tones laced with confused disbelief as they stared at the teen, who rubbed his neck sheepishly, realizing he'd just let the cat out of the bag, so to speak.

"Um…it's a long story…" Shinji admitted, only to gasp in alarm as Decade was sent flying across the room, the Green eyed Rider curshing his head off in several languages, courtesy of a punch the chest from a roaring Dogga "Lelouch!" he yelled, summoning his belt "HENSHIN!"

"Looks like we'd better go break this up…" Ixa muttered, earning a nod from Kiva as they leapt back into the fray, Ixa tackling Garuru, bringing the Wolfen to the ground as Kuuga put Bashaa in a headlock, the Merman's wails of protest drowned out by Garuru's curses and Dogga's roars as Kiva put the latter in a full nelson.

At that moment, the double doors to the hall slammed open, the combatants freezing as a wall of killing intent washed over them, all of them turning to gape at the sight of a tall, silver haired beauty, dressed in a silk sleeping gown that left little to the imagination, much to Karin's embrassment, her crimson eyes shining murderously as she glared at them, the tip of a fang visible as she snarled.

"Just what time do you retards think it is?" the vision snapped, her glare boring into the local combatants like a laser beam as they shifted, as one, back into their human forms, monsters and riders alike, the former reverting to human form as they huddled together in terror, while Decade and Kuuga looked on in confusion "I could hear you all they way across the castle!"

"M-Moka-sama…" Gin stammered, the headband sporting lycanthrope smiling nervously as he held his hands up pleadingly "T-there's a very good reason for all this-!"

His words were cut off, courtesy of a kick to the cheek that send him smashing headfirst into a wall at the other end of the hall, the rest of the arms monsters, Ixa and Kiva huddling together in terror as the beauty rounded on them, an aura of darkness rising off her.

_

* * *

__On the Sidelines..._

"I warned them this would happen…" Kibat sighed, the mechanical bat having abandoned his partner to his punishment as he hovered near Lelouch, who de-henshined, a look of stunned wonderment on his face as he watched the one-sided beat down commence "Moka-sama's very cranky when her rest is disturbed."

"Who…is she…" Lelouch wondered, a cold sweat running down his cheeks at the feel of the girl's aura, which threatened to crush him if he stepped too close, as Karin trembled on the sidelines, wanting to rush to Kenta's aid, but too terrified of the silver haired woman's wrath to do anything.

"She is Akashiya Moka-sama." Kibat announced proudly, the third descendent of the Kibat line flapping his wings as he spoke "Lord of Castle Doran, unopposed Queen of the Vampire race, and the daughter of the previous Kiva."

"SHE'S the descendent of Kiva?" Lelouch repeated, gaping at the mechanical bat's words, turning to stare as the silver haired woman supplexed Dogga like he weighed nothing at all "I thought Tsukune inherited Kiva's power?"

"It's a…long story…" Kibat admitted, only to gulp a he was grabbed out of the air, trembling in fear as he stared into the annoyed features of the Lord of Castle Doran "M-Moka-sama!" he stammered, trying to look innocent "G-Good Morning-!"

Lelouch averted his eyes, turning slightly green as he tried to blot out the bat's shrieks of pain. Who knew that a mechanical body could bend that way?

_

* * *

__Ten agonizingly painful minutes lay-ter..._

"Right then…" Moka muttered, the vampire queen reclining on her throne, resplendent in an outfit of red and black leather. A sword was stabbed into the floor next to the throne, an ominous looking weapon with a strange, bat-like cross guard, Moka's free hand resting on the pommel as she glared down at the battered forms before her "Anyone care to explain why I woke up to find a riot tearing up my throne room?"

The arms monsters, who were swathed from head to foot in bandages and bruises, flinched under her stare, Haji and Fanfan turning to Gin, who grimaced at being the one to step forward. "We were…informed that the Legendorgas had revived…" the last of the wolfen admitted, Moka's eyes widening at the news as she sat up straighter in her throne.

"Is this true?" Moka asked, her crimson stare washing over the other Arms Monsters as they nodded in tandem, her brows furrowing in thought "That IS serious…how could they have broken out of father's seal?"

"We…" Gin continued, flinching as the Lord's gaze landed on him once again, scowling pointedly at Lelouch, who was standing off to the side with a detached smirk "were informed that the seal was weakened when HE came to this world."

"Him?" Moka repeated, her eyes narrowing as she glared down at Lelouch, who flinched despite himself "A mere human broke my father's seal?" she scoffed "You know better than that, Gin." She quirked a brow "However…that doesn't explain what he's doing HERE."

"Um…" Tsukune spoke up, stepping forwards nervously "I brought Lelouch-sensei here…Moka-san." He admitted, earning a cocked brow from the woman "Sensei and Shinji-kun saved Usui-kun and me from some Legendorgas earlier."

Moka's brow rose again, before turning to regard the two foreign riders with her crimson stare, Shinji flinching as Lelouch stood his ground "I owe you thanks for saving Tsukune…" the vampire offered, which surprised the arms monsters considerably, as the Vampire Queen didn't give thanks lightly "However, tell me…what are you?"

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider." Lelouch offered, smirking up at the woman, much to the amazement of the Arms Monsters, who were stunned at his daring "One that makes it his business to meddle in the affairs of others…such as the Legendorgas."

"I see…" Moka mused, a wry smirk forming on the Vampire Queen's lips as she stood from her seat, sword in hand, descending from the podium to stand before them "Very well…what is it you came here for?"

"I understand that within castle Doran is a door that can allow passage through time." Lelouch noted, earning a look of surprise from the other residents, and a quirked, intrigued brow from Moka "I'd like to use it to travel to the past, twenty-two years ago in fact."

"When Kaneshiro found the ruins!" Tsukune exclaimed, the weilder of Kiva looking excited at the sudden realization, even as he flinched when Moka turned to him, her crimson gaze inquisitive as it was intimidating "Um…you see…"

"A human stumbled into some ruins belonging to the Legendorgas 22 years ago" Lelouch informed the vampire, much to Tsukune's relief, Moka's crimson eyes widening at the startling revelation "As a result, he's become the key to their revival." He matched gazes with the vampire queen, regal purple looking into royal scarlet "My plan is to go back and prevent him from finding the ruins."

"Which would prevent the Legendorgas from reviving in the present." Moka noted, a hint of bemused respect in the vampire Queen's tone as she smirked at the foreign teen "Not a bad plan…for a human."

"It's a talent." Lelouch offered, bowing dramatically, earning a bemused scoff from the silver haired young woman, though considering she was a vampire, and their QUEEN at that, her true age was debateable "Will you let us use the door?"

"I don't see why not." Moka muttered, shrugging offhandedly as she set placed both palms on the pommel of her sword "However, such a task cannot be trusted to outsiders alone…" she gestured to the side "So Ixa's user will accompany you."

"EH?" Kenta and Karin exclaimed, the bounty hunter pair looking at the vampire queen alarm, only to clam up, looking down to avoid her Crimson Glare, emphasis on the capitals, knowing it was wiser to just go along with her plans that suffer another beating.

_

* * *

__Later..._

"Um…Moka-san…" Tsukune spoke up, the teen looking up at the silver haired woman inquisitively, as Gen and the other arms monsters led Lelouch and Kenta towards the door of time, leaving a flustered Karin to tend to a battered Shinji "Maybe I should go with them?"

"The gate can only allow so many through at a time." Moka countered, the vampire queen's features firm as she turned to face the teen "Not only that, but too many unknown variables in the past could have an undesireable affect on the timestream, better to send a small party back, and I trust Ixa's user to do what's necessary."

"Don't you trust me…Moka-san?" Tsukune asked, Kiva's weilder looking hurt as he lowered his gaze at the woman's silence, only to blink as the vampire cupped his cheek, her regal features softening in a small smile.

"You already know the answer to that, Tsukune." The Lord of Castle Doran replied, her usual air of confidence softening slightly as Tsukune returned the smile "Besides…" she muttered, her eyes flickering in amusment as she leaned in close "I'm feeling a little…peckish…"

Karin flushed, the purple haired young woman averting her gaze, covering a confused Shinji's eyes to prevent the battered young rider from turning round to see what on earth was going on. It sounded like someone was draining a juice carton back there.

_

* * *

__In the hallways of Castle Doran..._

"So you mind filling me in on what's going on?" Lelouch asked, walking alongside a grim faced Kenta as they followed the arms monsters deep into the bowls of castle Doran "If that woman's is the daughter of the previous Kiva, how is it that Tsukune inherited his power?"

"It's a long story…" Kenta muttered, sighing explosively "Not too long ago, Tsukune was just an ordinary guy that wound up being dragged into a war between the Fangires and Vampires." He nodded his head over his shoulder "He found Moka-san when she was fighting a Fangire, and stepped between them to 'protect' her, wound up with a hole punched through his chest."

"Ouch." Lelouch muttered, flinching at the imagery, as he knew all to well what it was like to have such a wound inflicted on him, though he'd be buggered if he remembered HOW he'd gotten it in the first place "So I'm guessing since he's still alive and kicking, she did something?"

"Moka-sama infused some of her own blood into Tsukune-kun." Kibat informed the teen, the mechanical bat flapping alongside them at eye level "This turned him into a Half-Vampire, and charged him as her servant."

"Servant huh?" Lelouch asked, the foreign Rider quirking an eyebrow at the bat as they continued their way through the winding corridors of the castle "Lemme guess, she sent him out to deal with the Fangires for her?"

"Moka-sama's power is without match." Kibat insisted, looking affronted at the foreign teen's insinuation "However, she had not ascended as Queen yet, and turning Tsukune-kun drained a lot of her power, so she charged Tsukune with exterminating the Fangires while she recuperated." He fluttered proudly "And so began our partnership as Kiva!"

"I'm guessing that Kiva's power can only be accessed by those with vampiric blood, correct?" Lelouch asked, earning a nod, of sorts, from the bat "Another question...I thought Half-vampires tended to become feral after a time?"

"As a Half Vampire, Tsukune-kun's body cannot withstand the full force of the power of Kiva." Kibat admitted with a concerned frown "The chain he wears around his wrist keeps his vampiric blood in check, as well as tethering most of Kiva's power until he needs it."

"I see…" Lelouch noted, nodding his head in understanding, having suspected as much when he'd caught sight of the teen's lock-shaped bangle, before turning to a grim-faced Kenta "So what's your story? You mentioned apologizing last time…"

"I…wasn't always on good terms with Tsukune…" Kenta admitted with a sigh, shaking his head, "You see, when he first showed up, I mistook him for a Fangire and attacked…" he shot a lidded glare at Gin, who'd scoffed mockingly "Doesn't help that he uses those three as weapons…their all members of Mazoku clans that feed on humans."

"Though we've switched to…better fair recently." Haji muttered, his features solemn as he turned to regard Lelouch over his shoulder "In return for our services, we reside within Castle Doran, and partake of the life energy of the defeated Fangires."

"A lot more filling than humans!" Fanfan enthused, the oriental Mazoku turning to smile at the humans sharkily over his shoulder as he walked along "Though the taste's isn't as good…" he added as an afterthought.

"Anyways…" Kenta muttered, shuddering at the merman's words "Long story short, we ended up clashing a few times till Karin learned he was actually a half-vampire…" he smiled at the memory "Since then, we've been helping each other out."

"I would have thought that Victor would be put out by working with a vampire, Half or not." Lelouch opined, recalling how the grizzled old man had been a fierce hunter of the dark in his prime, courtesy of his 'other' memory.

"Victor understands that there are worse things than vampires," Kenta countered, looking the purple eyed teen in the eyes "Vampires, as a rule, don't interfere in the affairs of humans save to feed, and they only take what they need." He scowled "Fangires, on the other hand, kill indiscriminately…though there are a few who do simply want to live in peace."

"Moka-sama's duty requires that she eliminate any and all Fangires that draw too much attention to themselves." Kibat revealed "it was part of her ascension to the post of queen, she needed to outdo her siblings…" he shivered "Like Kokoa-sama…"

"Who?" Lelouch wondered, quirking a brow in the mechanical bat's direction, only to blink as all five of the locals shivered, tearstains lining their forms as they slumped against the walls, apparently drained of energy "Ah…never mind…"

"Here's the door…" Gin muttered, shaking himself out of his funk as he and the other arms monsters drew three keys from within their clothes and unlocked a set of massive doors, wrapped in chains, Lelouch's eyes widening as a clock chimed somewhere, a blinding white light washing over him "Good luck…brats."

"Hey wait a minute!" Kenta yelled, only to yelp, Lelouch's eyes bulging as something grabbed him south of the navel and dragged him into the blinding whiteness, the door snapping shut behind them.

_

* * *

__Leeet's dooo the TIIIME WAARRP AGAAAIN~!_

Lelouch cursed, the purple eyed rider stumbling as the world popped back into focus, blinking the images of some freak in revealing leather out of his vision to find himself sitting on something, with an equally disheveled Kenta straddling him. "GET OFF ME!" he swore, shoving the startled user of Ixa off him, the two of them looking around at their surroundings in confusion.

"A toilet?" Kenta gaped, the orange haired teen's normally intimidating features lined with stunned disbelief as he glared at the surrounding walls accusingly "They shoved us into a goddamned toilet?"

"Shout a little louder why don't you?" Lelouch muttered, glaring at the irate teen as he thumbed over his shoulder at the washroom patrons who were gaping at the teens in alarm "I don't think they heard you in the cubicles."

Kenta blushed, the teen glaring at the onlookers, who averted their gaze from the young man's unnerving stare, before accepting Lelouch's hand up as they made their way out of the washroom, blinking as they found themselves on a public street.

"We're…in town?" Kenta wondered, looking around in confusion at the people walking the streets, apparently unconcerned "Wait…something's not right…I know this street but some of those shops look new…"

"Or old…" Lelouch countered, Kenta turning to find the purple-eyed teen flicking through a newspaper he'd found lying on a bench, holding it out for the other teen to read over his shoulder "Check the date."

"1986?" Kenta stammered, the teen's normally intimidating eyes widening in shock as he glossed over the articles, landing on a particular advertisement "Hey! It says Sakakibara-san's concert is today!"

"Which means we don't have time to be dawdling around." Lelouch muttered, grabbing the teen by the shoulder, idly tossing the newspaper into a nearby recyclin bin without bothering to look, much to the shock of the other pedestrians "C'mon, you know the area, lead the way.

"Right!" Kenta agreed, shaking himself out of his shock from the foreign teen's feat of skill, cracking his knuckles before racing off, leading the purple eyed teen through a series of back-alleys and side-roads, finally pulling up before the local music hall.

"This is the place where she's set to perform?" Lelouch wondered, the foreign rider looking up at the towering building with a quirked brow. It looked more like an office building than a place where people gathered to listen to classical music.

"This is it," Kenta insisted, bent over double from his sprint through the streets "Karin and I came here a few times on dates…" he flushed pink "N-Never mind!" he stammered "How are we gonna find Sakakibara-san?"

"Can I help you?" a polite voice asked, the duo turning round to find themselves face to face with a pretty young woman standing behind them, one that caused the two of them to blink in unexpected surprise.

"Tachibana-san?" Kenta exclaimed, the young bounty hunter's eyes widening in shock as he stared at the young woman before him, only to blink, his shock giving way to confusion as he peered at her face "Wait…you're not…"

"How did you know my name?" the Tachibana look-alike gasped, her eyes wide with surprise as she stepped back. Now that Lelouch got a look at her, she did indeed resemble his student, but she didn't have Yuriya's pinch nez spectacles, nor was her hair done up in buns, rather, it lay in curls down her back. She also appeared less buxom than his student, and carried a violin case before her like a shield.

"Just a simple misunderstanding..." Lelouch spoke up, clapping a hand on Kenta's shoulder to shut him up "You see, my friend here used to have a girlfriend that looked exactly like you…" he winked suggestively at the woman "She dumped him because he couldn't keep up."

"THE HELL?" Kenta gaped, the bounty-hunter's face reddening in mortification as he grabbed the smirking Lelouch by the collar of his denim jacket, forcing him up against a wall "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING YOU JERK?"

"Exactly what was needed to get us out of that situation." Lelouch hissed, glaring at the teen, nodding his head towards the nervous woman as she gaped at them in shock "That wasn't Yuriya Tachibana, though I'm guessing she's related in some way or form." He looked Kenta in the eyes "Not only that…but she's obviously here for the recital…which means she must know where Sakakibara is."

Kenta blinked, even as Lelouch shrugged himself out of the teen's hold, fixing the lapels of his jacket as the teen realized what the foreign rider meant. "In other words…" Lelouch continued, "If we can just follow her without attracting attention to ourselves…"

"Too late for that…" a voice growled, the duo turning just in time to be knocked flying, courtesy of a punch to the jaw, the duo looking up to find a tall man with spiky, durty blonde hair and a set of familiar, terrifying eyes standing over them. "Towa-san, you go on ahead," the man muttered, glaring down at the teens as he cracked his knuckles audibly "I'll deal with these two."

"H-Hai!" the tachibana look-alike gasped, looking at the duo in concern, before dashing off past the man to the Music hall, holding her violin case in her arms as she ran as if she were carrying her own child.

'Towa…?' Lelouch repeated, frowning in confusion, the foreign Rider's mismatched eyes widening as he gazed after the retreating young woman in sudden realization "Wait...Don't tell me SHE'S-!"

"Now then…" the man muttered, snapping the teen out of his thoughts as he glared down at the teens "You two Fangires?" he scoffed at their stunned expressions "Doesn't matter if you are…You're not getting near her while I'm around."

* * *

And...that's a wrap!

Lelouch: *Deadpan* The Timewarp...seriously?

Kyugan: Hey, it's a classic.

Lelouch: So's Hakuna matata, but you don't see Shinji in drag dancing the Hula...

Shinji: *Currently doing just that, much to Hikari's mortification*

Kyugan: You were saying?

Lelouch: Amnesiac!

Kyugan: You're gonna milk that for all it's worth, aren't you?

Lelouch: OOOH Yeah...

Ghost Nappa: *Dressed up like he's from Transexual Transylvania* LEEET'S DOO THE TIIME WAARP AAGAIN!

Kyugan:... *Raises Plasma Pack* On three?

Lelouch: *taking aim* one...two...

GN: Uh oh...

Both: PULL~!

Next Time, on Code Decade:

Kenta: Who the hell're you?

?: That's my line, you little punk.

_A new enemy emerges?_

Sakakibara: Who are you?

Lelouch: I'm talking about cancelling your performance at Kanto West MAximum Security Prison.

_An attempt to correct history..._

Sakakibara: Music exists to heal people's hearts! And those in prison are no exception!

Lelouch: I really don't think you understand the severity of the situation!

_A Woman's pride..._

?: you're pretty cute for a fangire...

Kenta: M-MOM?

?: Eh? Shusei...?

_And another's Joy._

?: I want answers...you obviously ain't fangires...

Kenta: Why should we tell you anything?

_Interesting Conversations..._

Lelouch: You really are like two peas in a pod...you even have the same evil eye's for God's sake.

_And startling revelations._

?: What in the HELL are you talking about?

Kenta: No way...you can't be...?

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	11. Chibi Kiva Capu 4

Kyugan: Blast it! *Destroy's expensive marble statues* Hold still!

Ghost Nappa: *STill dressed like a Tansexua Transylvanian* NEVAH!

Lelouch: Blast it! *Destoy's priceless paintings* If he keeps dodging like this, we'll wind up crossing streams!

Museum Curator: WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING?

Lelouch: Isn't it obvious? Ghost busting.

Museum Curator: WITH FLAMTHROWERS?

Kyugan: You know how expensive Proton packs are? I ain't made of money!

Lelouch: I am, but I can't remember by PIN number.

* * *

Father and Son.

"Who the hell're you?" Kenta demanded, glaring up at the older, yet strangely familiar man alongside Lelouch, his face lined with anger as they wiped blood from their lips with the back of their hands. Whoever this old man was, he was STRONG.

"That's my line you little punk…" the man muttered, resting his hands on his hips as he bent over, levelling a VERy intimidating 'Yakuza Glare' at the two teenage Riders "What's your game eh? Why're you following Towa-san?"

"Towa?" Kenta repeated, the orange haired teen's normally intimidating eyes widening in surprise as he gaped up at the man, while Lelouch's narrowed in confirmation "You mean…Towa Sakakibara? That was her?"

"Dang right that was her." The man muttered, snorting in disdain as he glared at the duo, his eyes like a more menacing version of Kenta's "Which is why I'm asking what the hell you think you were doing, following her around?"

"We're big fans." Lelouch spoke up quickly, trying not to shiver under the force of the man's suspicious stare, which was like taking daggers to the chest up close "We wanted to ask her for her autograph."

"Yeah right," the man scoffed, glaring at Lelouch in disdain "I look like I was born yesterday you little punk? I HEARD you guys planning to follow her!" he reached down, grabbing the teen's by their collars and dragging them to their feet, getting right in the their faces "Well game's up, cause I ain't letting you punks lay a finger on her."

"You're making a mistake, bodyguard-san." Lelouch muttered, holding up both hands as he decided to try and reason with the big oaf "We're just trying to protect Sakakibara-san, if she performs at that prison she'll be in great danger."

"Oh really?" the man muttered, glaring at Lelouch, his eyes laced with suspicion "And just how do you know that? First hand knowledge I suppose?" he snorted "I knew it…you two really are the ones that have been targeting her...Fangires!"

'God, what is WITH this Neanderthal?' Lelouch muttered, honestly wishing he could just transform and smack the idiot around a few times, that punch to the jaw had HURT Dammit 'God he's so irritating, and those eyes, Where in the hell have I seen…'

He trailed off, eyes widening as he turned to gape at Kenta, who was struggling in the man's grip, his eyes fierce. 'No freaking way…' the purple eyed rider muttered, only to stumble as Kenta's foot lashed out, catching their assailant between the legs, the man doubling over with a choked roar as he clutched his privates.

"Towa-san!" Kenta called out, the teenage Bounty Hunter racing after the startled girl, catching up to her and grabbing her by the wrist, tugging on it insistently as he looked over his shoulder towards Lelouch "Hey Pretty Boy! Come on!"

"Oh good grief…" Lelouch muttered, sweatdropping as he looked down at the trembling form assailant, as a crowd formed around them from the commotion as he turned and raced after the teen "Doesn't he know the meaning of the word Low Profile?"

* * *

_Outside the music hall..._

"H-Hold it!" the bodyguard gasped, staggering to his feet, still holding onto his abused family jewels as he reached after the teens and his charge, only to curse as they disappeared out of sight "Dammit!" he swore, dropping to his knees once again, glaring as he recalled Kenta's scowling face "When I get my hands on that little shit I'm gonna-!"

"Shusei!" a concerned voice called out, the bodyguard looking up just in time to see a young woman, her hair done back in a ponytail and a small beauty mark under her lip, running up to his side, dressed in jeans and a pullover.

"Fumio…" the man called Shusei muttered, waving her concerned hands aside as he slowly tried to stagger to his feet, "I'm fine…" he assured her, a scowl on his face "the little punk just got the drop on me…"

"What happened?" Fumio wondered, the pullover-sporting woman looking the tall bodyguard over with a look of concern, as Shusei wasn't the type to leave himself open like that, meaning he must've been up against someone serious "Where's Sakakibara-san?"

"She got taken away by two little punks…" Shusei muttered, the bodyguard clenching his teeth as he straightened up, looking the woman in the eyes through his grimace "They've gotta be Fangires!"

"EEEEH?" the woman stammered, looking at the winded bodyguard in alarm "But then we have to hurry!" she insisted, gripping his shirt in both hands as she looked up at him "Which way did they go?"

"That way…" Shusei muttered, only to stumble as Fumio left him and ran off "Ah! Fumio! Wait for me!"

* * *

_A back alley behind a shop..._

"I think we lost him…" Kenta gasped, the teenage Bounty Hunter doubled over, one hand resting on his knee, the other still gripping a startled Sakakibara by the wrist, the woman looking between them in alarm.

"W-what do you want with me?" she stammered, looking between the two teenage Riders in confusion, though surprisingly there was no fear in her eyes as she held her violin case up to cover her chest "Who are you?"

"Nice going genius…" Lelouch muttered, glaring at confused Kenta as he separated the two, before turning to the flustered musician "Sorry about before, Sakakibara-san, but we had to warn you and your bodyguard really didn't give us many chances to do so."

"Warn me?" Sakakibara repeated, the pretty violinist calming slightly thanks to the foreign teen's relaxed, soothing tone, though she still looked apprehensive. After all, everyone knew what foreigners were like "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about cancelling your performance at Kanto West Maximum Security Prison." Lelouch elaborated, nodding at the woman's look of surprise "We have reason to believe something terrible will happen if you attend, and so…"

"Did my competitors put you up to this?" Sakakibara demanded, Lelouch blinking as she frowned, her resemblance to Yuriya strengthening as her eyes narrowed "Well you can tell them from me that I'm not intimidated in the slightest!"

"Sakakibara-san please listen!" Kenta exclaimed, the young bounty Hunter standing with his arms held wide as he tried to make the stubborn woman see reason, only to blink as she turned her glare on him.

"No, YOU listen." Sakakibara ordered, her voice prim and laced with determination "I don't know who put you up to this," she slapped a hand over her heart "but I'm a musician! Music exists to heal the pain in people's hearts, and those in prison are no exception!"

"I'm not disagreeing with you…" Lelouch insisted, honestly impressed with the young woman's fortitude, even as Kenta gaped at her like a landed guppy "But I really don't think you understand the severity of the situation-!"

"Get away from Sakakibara-san!" a female voice called out, the two teenage riders looking up in alarm, just in time to leap out of the path of a metallic, bladed whip that slashed the sidewalk between them, driving them away from towa.

"Another one?" Lelouch muttered, honestly starting to get annoyed with the people of this time as he turned to glare at their attacker, blinking as he espied one of the prettiest young women he'd ever laid eyes on standing there.

"You're pretty cute for a Fangire…" the woman muttered, looking a little uncertain of herself as she advanced on the teens, a strange, craft-knife like weapon held in her hand "But I wont let you hurt Sakakibara-san!"

"M-MOM?" Kenta exclaimed, gaping up at the woman in surprise, Lelouch quirking an intrigued brow as the teenage Bounty Hunter's cry drew the woman's attention towards him, her eyes going wide at the sight of the teen's face.

"S-Shusei?" she exclaimed, her arm jerking, almost dropping her bizarre weapon from the shock, only to pause, gazing at the equally stunned teen in confusion "What are you…I thought you were-?"

"FUMIO!" a familiar voice called out, the group turning as one to see the bodyguard from before running towards them, a snarl on his face as he glared at the teenage Riders "Gotcha now you little shits!"

"We don't have time for this!" Kenta snapped, leaping forward and grabbing Sakakibara by the arm, trying to drag her away again, only for Shusei to latch onto the other arm, the two of them tugging at her like dogs fighting over a bone.

"ITAI-!" Sakakibara wailed, the pretty musician looking on in panic as the two, VERY intimidating looking men literally fought over her, like two dogs tugging on a bone "Let me go! You're going to snap me in half!"

"Good grief…" Lelouch deadpanned, standing on the sidelines with the woman Kenta had referred to as 'mom', the woman looking between the two young men in confused alarm "No doubt about it…those two are…"

"FREEZE!" a voice called out, Lelouch whipping round in time to find a patrol car parked behind them, two officers leaping out and tackling Kenta and Shusei "You again?" one of them growled a the larger man "It's prison for you this time you thug!"

"What the hell you jackass?" Shusei snarled, the feral bodyguard elbowing the startled cop in the face as Fumio looked on in horror, his temper sparked by the 'thug' comment "Care to repeat that? Teme!"

"Sakakibara-san!" Lelouch called out, the passing through Rider figuring now was as good a time as any to get the woman out of here, reaching forward and taking her by the hand "I'll explain everything, just come on!"

"Um…" Sakakibara stammered, the Yuriya look-alike stumbling as the foreign teen dragged her after him towards the parked patrol car, calling over his shoulder for Kenta to follow after them, shoving the young woman into the back seat.

"Get in!" Lelouch called out to Kenta, clambering into the Driver's seat, only to blink as he watched the woman Kenta had called 'mom', Fumio or something, help Sakakibara clamber out the other side "Oh for the love of-!"

"Gotcha!" Shusei cackled, kicking Lelouch in the ass, sending him sprawling into the car, Kenta trapped under the man's arm in a headlock as he shoved his look-alike into the back, clambering into the driver's seat before tearing off down the road "Fumio! I'll leave things with you!"

"Hey hold on-!" Lelouch began, only to have his face slammed into the headrest, Shusei tearing out of the alley, leaving Fumio and a confused Sakakibara with the wounded cops.

* * *

_As the patrol car peels away..._

"Are you alright, Sakakibara-san?" Fumio asked, the pullover sporting Bodyguard looking the young woman, though in truth, they were around the same age, over with concern, "Did they hurt you?"

"N-No…" the Yuriya look-alike countered, shaking her head reassuringly as she accepted Fumio's hand, the pullover-sporting bodyguard helping the musician to her feet "But…what about your partner?"

"Don't worry about Shusei." Fumio assured the woman, her tone confident "He can take care of himself…"

However, Fumio Usui's thoughts were not on Shusei at the moment, but rather the young man that resembled him so perfectly, down to his intimidating, though she found them quite attractive, eyes.

Had it been her imagination? Or had the teen called her 'Mother'?

* * *

_With the Patrol Car..._

"Alright…" Shusei muttered, leveling out on a deserted stretch of road, allowing the two teens to right themselves and buckle up "I want answers…you obviously ain't Fangires, or you would've transformed back there…"

"Why should we tell you anything?" Kenta growled, glaring at the scarred man defiantly, their gazes locking in the rear view mirror, causing sparks to erupt, only to trail off as Lelouch chuckled.

"This is too rich…" Lelouch mused, the purple eyed teen covering his face with his hand as his shoulders shook from the effort of reigning in his laughter "You two really are like two peas in the pod…"

"The hell you talking about string bean?" Shusei demanded, the bodyguard glaring at the foreign teen out the corner of his eye, while Kenta blinked in confusion, wondering if Lelouch had been hit harder than they'd thought.

"Don't tell me neither of you noticed the family resemblance?" Lelouch asked, smirking all the while as he looked between the two "The hair, the short tempers, the way you jump to conclusions, usually the wrong ones, so swiftly…" he snorted "You even have the same evil eyes for God's sake."

"What in the hell're you talking about boy?" Shusei wondered, a little unnerved by the teen's words as he looked back at the other teen in the rearview mirror. Now that he got a good look at him, the kid DID look familiar, EERILY so.

"No way…" Kenta breathed, the teen's eyes widening, gaping at the older man's profile, his eyes taking in the rugged chin, his features marred, ever so slightly, by a scar set just above his left ear "You can't be…Dad?"

"EH?" Shusei baulked, his eyes bulging as the car swerved, Lelouch holding on for dear life as they almost ran over a redheaded girl, though not in time to avoid the panda, that's right, a panda, that was chasing her "The hell?" Shusei demanded, uncaring of the endangered species he'd just mauled as he stared at Kenta over his shoulder "Who you calling Dad? I don't got no kids! I'm too young!"

"Maybe now…" Lelouch admitted, mildly disconcerted about the fact they'd somehow managed to run over a panda in the middle of a street "but seeing as Kenta and I came here from 22 years in the future, it's not too far off."

"I think I hit you kids harder than I thought…" Shusei muttered, the bodyguard sounding a little apologetic as he eyed the foreign teen askance, his eyes unnerved "I better get ya to the hospital…"

"I can prove it!" Kenta insisted, the Bounty Hunter reaching inside his jacket and pulling out his mobile phone, handing it to the dubious looking Shusei to examine through the gap in the chairs "Look inside!"

"Nice toy…" Shusei muttered, though the light of disbelief still shone in his eyes as he flipped it open. This ended as he gaped at the sight of Kenta's wallpaper, which depicted a VERY familiar face, albeit a few years older than he'd last seen her "FUMIO?"

"My name's Kenta Usui." Kenta insisted, the teenage Bounty Hunter and Rider looking up at the dumbstruck older man with a sense of wonderment in his gaze "My mother's name is Fumio Usui."

"No way…" Shusei muttered, the bodyguard looking like all his ghosts had come back to haunt him, and by the looks of things, brought a few of their friends with them, as he turned to look at his future son "You…You're really my…"

"EYES FRONT!" Lelouch yelled, the passing through rider's eyes wide as he grabbed the wheel, Shusei cursing as he slammed the brake just in time to avoid colliding with another patrol car, coming the other way.

"Iizuka!" a loud voice crowed, the trio looking up in amazement as a familiar looking officer with a crew cut and sandals leapt out of the other patrol car, aiming his gun at Shusei's face "I got you this time you punk!"

"Officer Kankichi?" Lelouch muttered, blinking at the sight of the future Truancy officer in confusion as he, Shusei and Kenta were swiftly cuffed by the man's partner, "This is just too weird."

* * *

_One arrest later..._

Ironically enough, the prison they were escorted to was none other than the one where Sakakibara was to have her concert, apparently Shusei had quite a reputation for brawling with police officers, and so they weren't going to take any chances.

Naturally, of course, Kenta and Lelouch were considered 'guilty by association', as Officer Kankichi 'didn't like the look' of Kenta's eyes and seemed to be dispossessed towards foreigners for some reason.

So after a grueling, three hour drive, a painfully thorough cavity search, and being forced to dress in bright orange prison overalls, the trio found themselves sharing a cell at Kanto West Maximum Security Prison, awaiting proper sentencing and punishment.

"So you're really my kid…" Shusei muttered, the man unable to take his eyes off Kenta's face as the two sat across from one another, Lelouch leaning against the bars, his arms crossed in annoyance "Surreal…so what's it like in the future?"

"Well…it's alright…" Kenta muttered, the teenage Bounty Hunter looking up at his father in wonderment "Some things are different…" he admitted "like the old theater being renovated…and they fixed the park up too…"

"Fumio'd love that…" Shusei muttered, a kind smile forming on his rugged features as he thought of his partner and girlfriend "I always knew she was the woman for me…we grew up together you know."

"Mom told me." Kenta admitted, looking down at the ground, embarassed for some inexplicable reason "She said your parents, grandma and grandpa, hated each other's guts, so Grandma didn't approve of mom seeing you."

"That old battleaxe still alive?" Shusei growled, smirking apologetically at Kenta's uncomfortable look "Ah forget about her…if you're here then she obviously wasn't able to keep us apart." He blinked at Kenta's flinch "What? Something wrong?"

"It's nothing…" Kenta muttered, averting his gaze as he spoke. How could he tell his father that he'd grown up without every seeing the man? Shusei had apparently been killed in an accident before Kenta was even born. Fumio'd been forced to move back in with her mother, who destroyed all of the man's photos to spite him.

"As interesting as this little family reunion has been," Lelouch spoke up, drawing the father and son's attention to him as he frowned, the lilting trill of violin music drifting through the halls "Sakakibara's concert has started, we need to get out of here before Kaneshiro makes his move."

"Who?" Shusei wondered, Kenta's future father looking between the time travelling pair in confusion, a frown marring his already intimidating features "Wait, is this what you were going on about earlier?"

"A inmate called Hokuto Kaneshiro's going to take Sakakibara-san hostage during the performance." Kenta revealed grimly, looking his father in the eye "During his escape, he's going to stumble into some ruins…"

"Which all boils down to the future being in danger, and only WE can save the day." Lelouch cut in, smiling despondently at the duo as he tapped the bars "Of course…there's not much we can do from in here…"

"Then we gotta get outta here!" Shusei declared, getting to his feet with a growl "I don't fully understand what's going on…but Fumio and I'd never raise no liar for a son, and I ain't the kind of man that'd let people get hurt if I can stop it!"

"Dad…" Kenta marveled, the teenage Bounty Hunter looking up at the scarred man in wonderment, Shusei smirking down at his son confidently before marching forwards, grabbing the bars and rattling them fiercely.

"HEY!" the Bodyguard roared, his terrifying features bared in a snarl that scared the bejeezus out of the other inmates, who retreated from their own bars at the sound of his voice, cuddling one another for safety "GUARD! GETCHER ASS DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"Back away from the bars!" the guard warned, marching in front of their cell and slapping a cattle prod against the bars, forcing Shusei to back off with a snarl "I'm warning you Iizuka, just gimme a reason to-!"

"Pardon me…guard…" Lelouch called out, the foreign teen stepping forwards with a polite, innocent smile, subtly elbowing Shusei in the flank to keep him from speaking again "What did you say your name was?"

"Ore?" the guard stammered, blinking at the polite, foreign teenager that had the misfortune of being locked in a cell with an animal like Shusei Iizuka, and a kid that bore more than a passing resemblance to said animal "Sanjou."

"Well then…Sanjou-san…" Lelouch smiled, one hand brushing his ebony bangs out of his face dramatically "Would you be so kind as to let us out of this cell?"

Officer Sanjou blinked, his features going slack for the briefest of seconds, before speaking in a dazed voice, his eyes staring straight ahead "But of course…" he muttered, unclipping a ring of keys from his belt and unlocking the door "You all be careful now…"

"Much obliged…" Lelouch offered, stepping out of the cell with a regal smirk, before grabbing the man's tazer and zapping him in the nuts with it, the guard jerking, his mouth forming an 'O' of surprise, before collapsing to the floor in a heap.

"Wh-what the hell?" Shusei stammered, father and son gaping in disbelief at the sight before them, before turning to Lelouch, who was kneeling next to Sanjou's twitching form "What'd you do to him?"

"Just a little test…" Lelouch assured the pair, smirking wrly to himself as he set the tazer aside, unbuttoning the guard's uniform as he spoke "I'll fill you in later, right now we have to get up to the performance."

"And how're we gonna do that?" Kenta asked, the teenage Bounty Hunter looking at the foreign teen in stunned amazement, and a little bit of apprehension "I mean the minute they see us they're going to raise the alarm."

"Not if we're being escorted…" Lelouch countered, smiling up at Shusei "Isn't that right, Officer Iizuka?"

* * *

_In the main hall..._

Towa Sakakibara smiled as she played atop the stage, basking in the warm stage lights and the warm, receptive smiles of the inmates that had come to savor the soothing melody of her music. She could already feel the aura of depression and loneliness in their hearts fade away, replaced by a feeling of calm and peace that would no doubt stick with them for weeks, maybe even months, making their dreary sentences that much easier to bear.

Abruptly, the lights cut off, Sakakibara's eyes widening as her playing faltered, looking around in alarm, only to scream as an arm wrapped around her neck.

"My apologies for the rough treatment…" a cultured voice offered, Sakakibara's eyes widening at the sight of the handsome young man standing behind her, a makeshift glass shiv held at her throat "But I need you to cooperate with me for a bit."

"Kaneshiro!" Officer Ryotsu Kankichi barked, the crew-cut sporting, sandal wearing officer aiming his handgun up at the pair "You little punk!" he snarled, trying to get a better lock on the convict's face "Let her go!"

"Oh I intend to…" Kaneshiro assured the crew cut sporting cop "Just as soon as you open the doors and let me out." He smirked cruelly "You see, I've no intention of dying in here...there's so much left for me to do on the outside."

"You idiot!" Officer Kankichi barked, the crew-cut sporting offiver leveling his revolver at the bespectacled man's face, or trying to, as the stage put him at an awkward angle "Like hell we'd let a murderer like you out!"

"Oh but you will…" Hokuto insisted, the bespectacled convict's handsom features marred by a cruel smile as he stroked the terrified Sakakibara's cheek with the edge of the shiv "Or this woman's life…will be on your hands…"

"KANESHIRO!" a voice roared, the bespectacled man looking up just in time to be hit in the face with exhaust foam, courtesy of a inmate holding a fire-extinguisher, the convict releasing Sakakibara, who was pulled out of the way by a familiar young man in an inmates overalls, only to be tackled by a large guard with a scar on his ear.

"Iizuka?" Kankichi gaped, the crew-cut sporting officer looking up at the stage in alarm, as the man he'd hauled in earlier that day proceeded to beat the stuffing out of Kaneshiro "What the? How did you-?"

"I'll deal with you later, crew-cut!" Shusei snarled, glaring at the officer as he slapped Hokuto's shiv out of his hand, before kneeing the younger man repeatedly in the stomach "Kenta! String bean! Get Towa to safety!"

"Who's he calling string bean?" Lelouch muttered, the purple eyed teen lowering the fire extinguisher with a scowl, only to flinch as Shusei supplexed Hokuto headfirst into the stage, before putting him in a leg-lock "Eesh…he's vicious…"

"That's my dad…" Kenta muttered proudly, earning a look of shock from Sakakibara, who was looking between the two in confusion "So you think this changes things?"

"I'd be surprised if Kaneshiro can even STAND after that gorilla gets through with him." Lelouch muttered, sweatdropping as Shusei spun the smaller man over his head like pizza dough "Besides, after a stunt like this, he'll be sent to solitary until his execution date. Not the best position for stumbling into ancient ruins."

"So the future's saved…" Kenta sighed, smiling in relief as he slumped against the wall, Sakakibara's eyes widening as the teens slowly faded out of sight, leaving her standing alone on the stage, even as the guards managed to get Shusei away from her assailant, dragging the convict off to the side.

* * *

_Several minutes later..._

"You okay, Towa?" Shusei asked, sauntering up to his client with a look of concern in his fierce eyes, looking a little energetic after the savage beat down he'd given Hokuto, only to blink, looking around the stage in confusion "Huh? Where'd the kid's go?"

Before Sakakibara could answer, the door to the main hall flew off their hinges, kicked in by an enraged officer Sanjou, who'd been stripped down to his red, peach adorned boxers, a savage snarl tearing from his lips, which were covered with a stained glass pattern.

"FANGIRE!" Shusei swore, pushing a terrified Sakakibara behind him as the monster assumed its true form, a blue, equine monstrosity that was a Zebra Fangire, the assembled guards opening fire even as the inmates panicked, racing for the exits and generally getting underfoot "Dammit! We gotta get you outta here!"

"Shusei!" a familliar voice called out from on high, Kenta's future father looking up to see Fumio Usui, his future wife apparently, standing on the upper railing, holding up a mechanical knuckle duster and belt in her hands "Catch!"

"Fumio!" Shusei yelled out jubilantly, grinning up at the woman as he caught the items as she tossed them down to him "That's the woman I love for you!"

Fumio blushed, her features turning dark scarlet as she covered her cheeks, even as Shusei grinned, slapping the belt around his waist, before pressing the knuckleduster against his palm "Henshin!"

"**FIST ON!"** the belt declared, a holographic image of a three bladed cross spinning out from the belt, assuming the form of a holographic golden armor, which converged over Shusei's form, solidifying into a white suit of armor with gold and blue highlights.

"Now then...Fangire…" Ixa muttered, Shusei's version of his son's armor differing only in that the golden visor did not separate to reveal the crimson eyes beneath "Time to return those lives you stole to God!"

Charging forward, the white Rider delivered a punishing blow to the Zebra Fangire's midriff, followed by a roundhouse punches to its fanged, equine maw. As it reeled back, dazed from the blow, he grabbed it by the mane and kneed it repeatedly in the stomach, grabbing it by the throat as it tried to break free, one arm wrapping around it's leg as he threw it across the hall.

The Fangire rose with a snarl, the officers, led by a stunned officer Kankichi, opening fire at it's seemingly defenseless back, only for the bullets to have no effect, other than draw the Fangires ire towards them.

Snarling, the monster unleashed a sphere of destructive energy from its maw, the officers lunging out of the way, screaming incoherently as it punched through the wall behind them, the officers scrambling to get clear of the beast as snipers began firing at it from the walkways above.

During all the commotion, nobody noticed the limping form of Hokuto Kaneshiro, as the bespectacled convict hobbled towards the hole the Fangire had just blasted in the concrete wall.

* * *

_In the caverns..._

'I don't know what the hell is going on…' Hokuto muttered, holding his broken glasses to his face, his nose broken and bloody from the beating he'd received from Shusei 'But while they're dealing with that monster, I'm going to get out of here.'

He staggered through the hole, using his hands to guide him through the darkened hallway on the other side, his eyes narrowing as he realized he'd stepped into what appeared to be a series of catacombs, which likely connected to the mountain the prison had been built on.

'Which mean's there's probably an exit somewhere…' he mused, a cold, wry smirk forming on his face at the thought 'It'll take some doing, but they should be too busy with that thing, whatever it is, to miss me for a good while yet.'

He paused, his brow furrowing as his hand touched a smooth surface, FAR too smooth to be a natural occurrence in a cave, his eyes narrowing, sight slowly adjusting to the darkness, at what appeared to be several carved arches, which lead towards a hollowed out chamber, in the center of which lay a large stone casket.

"What is this?" he wondered, stepping forwards in wonderment, his eyes somehow able to make out the marking son the casket despite the dim light "Some sort of tomb? In a cave?"

He reached out, his fingers brushing the dirt of centuries off the casket, revealing a strange crest carved on the lid. He stumbled back, eyes widening in alarm as the crest lit up, the lid of the casket rising as a golden glow filled the suddenly menacing burial chamber.

From within the casket, a horned shadow rose, it's large golden eyes boring into Hokuto's as it extended one shadowy limb towards him, as if reaching for his hand, the convict loosing an agonized scream as the light from the casket flowed into him, countless golden dust particles forcing their way into his body as his screams tore through the catacombs.

* * *

Yeah...no problems there...

Lelouch: THIS wouldn't have happened if we'd used the damn car.

Kyugan: Dude, it's a national treasure, like hell I'm letting you joy ride in that.

Lelouch: Oh and I suppose the TRAIN would be better?

Kyugan: Are you kidding? Last thing I need is you getting into another drag-race with the Den-Liner crew.

Ghost Nappa: *Grumbles* they started it...

Next Time on Code Decade:

_The adventurers return..._

Lelouch: Dont tell me he stayed behind...

_Only to find new problems await them..._

Nekonome: We've been getting great stories!

Lelouch: Such as?

Random student: Monsters!

_The Legendorgas remain..._

Nekonome: BUT THE KING SEALED THEM AWAY CENTURIES AGO!

Lelouch: Didn't do a thurough enough job of it...

_As does their ambitions._

MedusaL: I never tire of hearing human screams...

Hokuto: Kiva...I shall defeat the one who has inherited his power...

_A familliar face returns..._

Kenta: Dad!

Shusei: Mataku...being a dad's such a pain in the ass...

_And a new enemy appears..._

Kenta: Y-You?"

?: Long time no see…Kenta Usui-Kun.

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	12. Chibi Kiva Capu 5

Guess who's back with a brand new rap!

Ghost Nappa: 50 Cent?

*Vinyl rip*

Kyugan: ME you retard!

GN: OH~!...who're you again.

Kyugan: Oh for fuck's sake...Lelouch, deal with this guy.

Lelouch: *Smug* Why should I, I don't even know you.

Kyugan: Oh you wanker, you are not pulling this shit on me.

GN: Lulu...I think the new guy's angry.

Lelouch: To True Nappa, too true.

Kyugan: I hate you both so fucking much... *Glares at camera* Roll camera while I fill these two in.

* * *

Thriller Night.

Lelouch blinked as the lights flashing behind his eyes cleared, the purple eyed teen looking around in amazement as he realized he was once again dressed in his tux, seated in a comfortable armchair in what was clearly the of the Teacher's Lounge at Kurenai Academy for the Gifted. "Well…that was interesting…" he muttered, shaking his head to rid himself of the momentary dizziness "Still, I wonder were Usui disappeared to…don't tell me he decided to stay behind…"

"Ah! Lamperouge-sensei!" Nekonome called out, the blonde, bespectacled older woman sticking her head into the staffroom with a surprised eye-smile "There you are! I've been looking all over! Your class is about to start."

"Just resting my eyes." Lelouch offered, getting to his feet, picking up the violin case that had mysteriously appeared at his side as he walked alongside the woman "By the way, how's the newspaper club doing?"

"It's great!" Nekonome insisted, beaming up at the man excitedly as she hugged the latest issue to her chest "I mean, yes a few people dropped out since their articles weren't that good, but we've been getting loads of good stories!"

"Really?" Lelouch smiled, the younger, though not by much, passing through Kamen Rider feeling a little bit of pride at his involvement in the club's recent success running through him, it was quite apleasant feeling now he thought of it "Such as?"

"Like the random incidents of people turning into monsters!" Nekonome replied, Lelouch's eyes snapping wide at her concerned look "It's so strange, they were perfectly normal pone minute, but then suddenly they just turned into-!"

"MONSTERS!" a voice screamed, the teachers looking up as a horde of students tore down the hall, Lelouch pulling Nekonome close to him as he backed against the wall to avoid being flattened, the bespectacled sensei to shocked by what was going on to comment.

"Tsukune!" Lelouch snapped, the passing through Kamen Rider catching sight of Kibat-bat the Third's partner as the hapless dhampir teen struggled to escape the flow of bodies "What the hell happened here?"

"My math teacher suddenly started attacking people!" Tsukune called out, his eyes wide with confusion and concern as he struggled to keep his place in the tide "He used snakes! Like that Legendorgas from the warehouse!"

"LEGENDORGAS?" Nekonome shrieked, Lelouch's eyes widening as the woman sprouted cat ears and a tail, her nails digging into his chest as she gripped him in terror "B-BUT THE KING SEALED THEM CENTURIES AGO!"

"Didn't do a thorough enough job of it..." Lelouch muttered, wondering what on earth had gone wrong, but suspecting, in some shape or form, Shusei was responsible as he scooped the distraught cat-woman into his arms and racing down the hall "Everyone! Head for the exits!"

* * *

_Hell's Castle..._

"I never get tired of hearing humans scream…" the Gargoyle Legendorgas sighed, the monster tilting his head as they stood around their lord, who was idly tuning several musical instruments in the music hall.

"But of course…" the Medusa Legendorgas agreed, the serpentine monstrosity smiling cruelly as she reclined on one of the pillars that littered the room "Their screams are our music, after all…"

"All that is left is to defeat Kiva…" the Mandrake Legendorgas noted, the plant-like monster's words striking a chord with it's fellos, who turned as one to look at their lord as Hokuto paused near a trumpet.

"Kiva…" Hokuto muttered, his hair brushed back from his handsome face as he picked the instrument up "The one who sealed me away…I shall defeat the one who has inherited his power…" he smiled cruelly "That shall be my revenge…"

The Legendorgas bowed, Hokuto lifting the trumpet to his lip, playing a short burst that sounded like a series of shrieks, the murals on the walls distorting as a webbed eye overlapped the moon.

* * *

_With Karin and Kenta..._

"Eh?" Karin gasped, looking at her boyfriend in surprise as they walked along the park street, Kenta having reappeared in Julian, startling the life out of the customers, before Karin managed to sneak him out the back, the two of them taking a walk as he explained what happened "You actually met your father, Kenta-kun?"

"Yeah…" Kenta nodded, smiling to himself as he recalled how tall and strong his father had been, idly wondering if he'd grow to be that tall. He'd always grown up being told by his mother that his father was a good man, offset only by his grandmother's slandering of the man every ten minutes.

Fumio never mentioned how his father had died, and she CERTAINLY never mentioned that they had fought against Fangires together.

'Is it like the family business or something?' Usui wondered, sweatdropping at the idea that he was following in his father's footsteps without even knowing it 'Victor-san supposedly founded the WBA 22 years ago…were my parents…?"

"Usui-kun…" Karin called out, the young woman looking around nervously at the gathered people "Does something seem…off to you?"

Kenta blinked, looking around on confusion at the people around them, noticing that there WAS something a little strange about them…as if they were simply going through the motions of everyday life. "Karin…" he muttered, reaching into his pocket for the Ixa-Knuckle, knowing he couldn't transform, but that wouldn't stop him from using the air knuckle to disable if he had to "Let's get out of here."

No sooner had he spoken did the crowd whip round, their eyes blanked out, several of them sporting grotesque masks while others had patches of blue scales on their bodies. They shambled towards them, arms reaching out, bandages and snakes lashing through the air, only to be sent flying as Kenta used the Knuckle to send a blast of air into their midst, clearing a path.

"C'mon!" Kenta called out, the Bounty hunter/Rider grabbing Karin's wrist and leading her away from their attackers, who picked themselves up and shambled after them, hissing and moaning ominously. "What the hell's going on?" he wondered, gritting his teeth as he and Karin avoided the creatures as best they could "We stopped the breakout, didn't we? So why are the Legendorgas-?"

"Maybe something happened AFTER the breakout…" Karin opined, the purple haired girl looking concerned as she kept pace with her boyfriend, the two of them running into a nearby power plant, only to pull up short at the base of a cooling tower.

"Damn!" Kenta swore, turning to face the mass of creatures, only to blink as Karin flipped up the skirt of her waitress uniform, pulling out her weapon and firing a rappel upwards, latching onto the side of the tower.

"Kenta-kun!" she called out, the teen nodding, grabbing onto her as he took hold of her weapon, recalling the wire, which hauled them upwards, out of the monster's clutches as they massed below, howling angrily.

"That was too close…" Kenta muttered, hauling them both over the side of the tower, returning Karin's weapon to her as they moved away from the railing, only to yell as a series of shots impacted in front of them, Karin stumbling backwards, toppling over the side with a scream. "Karin!" Kenta screamed, lunging for her, grabbing his girlfriend by the wrist, gritting his teeth as his arm strained with the effort of keeping her from falling as he tried to pull her back up "Hang on…!"

He choked as something stamped on his back, looking up over his shoulder to see the Gargoyle Legendorgas standing over him, smirking sadistically as it continued to stamp on him, Karin looking on in horror as blood began to gather around Kenta's grit teeth.

"Hey…ugly…" a voice growled, the Legendorgas turning round, only to scream as someone punted it over the railing, it's arms waving wildly as it sailed over the edge of the tower, a strong hand reaching out to help Kenta secure Karin.

"D-DAD?" Kenta gaped, the Usui teen gaping up at the smirking, rugged features of the man he'd last seen thrashing Hokuto like it was going out of styly, during the attempted break out back in the past.

"Mataku…" Shusei muttered, the scarred man smirking at the teen as he helped haul Karin back over the railing "What a pain in the ass being a dad is…"

* * *

_Café Julian, later that evening..._

"Shusei-chan!" the manager cried, the chubby little man weeping openly as he literally threw himself over the counter at the taller man, Shusei grinning sheepishly as he watched his old friend rub his face into his shirt.

"God, Master, you haven't changed a bit…" Kenta's father muttered, patting the bawling manager on the head "If you weren't soaking up my shirt I'd swear you were a ghost." He turned to smirk at Victor, who was sitting in the corner, as always "Hey old man…you're looking pretty good."

"Same old Shusei…" Victor muttered, a wry smirk adorning his bearded face as he regarded the violent young man he'd drafted to be Ixa's first user "Still, I'm concerned with how you managed to be here."

"Ah…" Shusei muttered, pushing the weeping manager aside as he took a seat at the counter, where Hikari, dressed in the store's uniform, poured him a cup of coffee "Well, it all began shortly after Kenta and String Bean there disappeared…"

* * *

_Shusei's flashback of awesomeness..._

"_Time ta finish this…" Ixa muttered, the white Rider holding the Zebra Fangire's off the ground by the throat, it's back against the wall of the prison as he slotted a fuestle into his buckle, pressing the Ixa-Knuckle into it, causing a hazard bell to chime._

"_**IXA-KNUCKLE-RISE-UP-!" **__the belt declared, Ixa detaching the Knuckle and delivering a point blank punch to the Fangire's chest, simultaneously unleashing a blast of supercharged energy, shattering the screaming monster, and leaving an indention in the wall behind it._

"_Shusei-!" Fumio called out, the young women that would one day grow up to be the mother of Kenta rushing up to the white Rider as his transformation cancelled, the armor disappearing in a burst of light "You did it!"_

"_Of course!" Shusei scoffed, the original weilder of the Ixa Prototype blowing on the Ixa-Knuckle dramatically, polishing it against his stolen guard's uniform "Ain't no way I'm letting these monsters hurt anyone!"_

"_And admirable calling…" a modulated voice noted, the duo whipping round to find a shadowy figure standing behind them, apparently unnoticed by the guards._

_He was clad in a long, black cape that clung to his body like a bat's wings, concealing his form underneath. The only other visible features were his legs, which were adorned in what appeared to be a purple boots, and his head, which was covered by a black helmet, reminiscent of a Hawk._

"_Who the hell're you?" Shusei demanded, stepping in front of Fumio, the Ixa-Knuckle held at the ready, wondering if he dared transform again so soon, as unlike Kenta's version, Shusei's was just a prototype, and the strain it put on the user's body with extended use was considerable._

_The first time Shusei had overused it, he'd spent almost a week in recovery. He'd bounced back, but was always aware of the armor's time-limit._

"_Please be at ease…I am not your enemy." The caped figure assured them, Shusei and Fumio's eyes blinking as they realized they were surrounded by a wall of grey fog "I have come to ask for your help…to save your son's future."_

"_Kenta?" Shusei stammered, even as Fumio blinked, looking between the two men in confusion, and a little apprehension "He's in trouble? What happened-?"_

* * *

_Back at Cafe Julian..._

"He told me that some jerk-hole named Decade had revived a group of monsters called Legendorgas." Shusei revealed, missing the dark and surprised looks these words received from Lelouch, Shinji and Hikari "So I told him I'd help out and he brought me here."

"That damn Black Helmet…" Lelouch muttered, the passing through Rider glaring off to the side in annoyance, easily recognizing the same masked interloper that had been going out of his way to make his life hell.

"In any case," Victor muttered, the elderly head of the WBS turning to level a look at the others, urging them to keep silent, not wanting a fight to break out in the café "I think we need to devise a plan of attack."

"What's to plan…?" Shusei scoffed "punching his fist into his palm with a confident smirk We just go out there, smash those Legendorgas guys to a pulp, and then come back for coffee, just like always, right?"

"Good grief…" Victor sighed, shaking his head with an exasperated groan "How on earth you and Fumio hooked up I'll never know." He snorted at Kenta "The boy obviously got his common sense from his mother…"

"Shame he had to inherit his father's looks." Lelouch muttered wryly, the passing through Rider shaking his head as Kenta and Shusei glowered at him "See? It's like looking at a serial killer half the time."

"Lamperouge-san…" a voice muttered darkly, Lelouch freezing instinctively just as Hikari, who'd snuck up behind him, jabbed him in the neck with her thumb "That's not something you say about someone's parent!"

"In any case…" Victor muttered, sweatdropping as Lelouch collapsed on the floor, cackling madly while threatening grievous bodily harm "Something clearly went wrong…the Legendorgas haven't made an appearance, but random civilians have been turning into monsters."

"Sounds bad…" Shusei muttered, Kenta's father's expression turning grim at the prospect of having to beat up unassuming humans, only to blink as the door to the staff room opened and a familiar face walked out "Towa-san?"

"Eh?" the bespectacled young woman stammered, looking up at the tall, scary-eyed man in surprise as she pressed a hand over the neck of her uniform blouse "Usui-san?" she exclaimed, only to blink in confusion "No wait…who are…?"

"Shusei-chan, this is Yuriya Tachibana." The manager of Julian introduced, interposing himself between the two, knowing from experience that most people were intimidated by the taller man's eyes "She's been working here part time for a while now."

"Tachibana?" Shusei repeated, blinking in confusion as he looked the younger woman over, much to her discomfort "Any relation to Yuri Tachibana?

Yuriya's features paled and she turned away, making some excuse about the dishes before scampering off behind the counter, clacking the plates audibly as she went. "What's up with her?" Lelouch asked, quirking an eyebrow at the bespectacled young woman before turning back to Shusei "And who's this Yuri Tachibana?"

"You remember Towa Sakakibara, the violinist we saved back at the prison?" Shusei asked, earning a nod from Kenta and Lelouch "Well that was just a stage name. Her real name was Yuri Tachibana…" he turned to look at Yuriya "So you her daughter then?"

"That woman isn't my mother!" Yuriya snapped, her shoulders tensing as she stared down at the sink, her eyes hidden by her hair "Please stop asking me about her!"

Shusei blinked, looking on as the girl turned her back to him, Hikari glaring up at the man as she turned to help the young woman. "Was it something I said?"

"Never mind that for now…" Victor muttered, the old man's features grim as he set his coffe cup back on the table with an audible clack, looking the group over with a scowl "We need to figure out our next plan of action-!"

"Ken-chan!" a cheerful voice called out, the group whipping round, Kenta's eyes widening in alarm as his mother walked through the door "How's work? Are you ready to go…home…"

She trailed off, gaping in shock at the form of Shusei, who was gaping at her in equal shock, Kenta frozen in the act of trying to hide his father. A fruitless act, considering Shusei was head and shoulders taller than his son. "Sh-shusei…?" the woman stammered, stepping forwards uncertainly her hands over her mouth "Is that really you…?"

"Yo…Fumio…" the time-displaced man greeted, pushing past his son to stand before the older version of his girlfriend, grinning sheepishly "The years have been good…you got the whole MILF thing down."

"B-BAKA!" Fumio yelled, her hand lashing out to deliver the Mother Of All Bitch Slaps to the man's face, sending him flying against the far wall, her face a bright crimson as she gasped, racing up to check on him alongside Kenta.

"Just like old times…" Julian's manager chuckled, much to the disbelief of the others, with the exception of Victor, who snorted and lowered his hat over his eyes.

* * *

_With Fumio and Shusei..._

"Man…you sure pack a mean punch after all these years…" Shusei muttered, rubbing his jaw as he and Fumio sat at a fountain they always used to meet at years ago.

The two of them, at Victor's behest, had gone of on a walk while the WBA founder and chairman 'brought the youngsters up to speed'. In truth, Victor didn't want a fight breaking out between Lelouch and Shusei, and until they could plan a course of action, it was best to keep the man in the dark.

"S-Sorry…" Fumio stammered, Kenta's mother blushing furiously as she eyed the time-displaced features of her lover, feeling self conscious. This Shusei was as she remembered him, tall and strong and full of life. It made her feel old by comparison; though she'd been told numerous times she didn't look like she had a teenage son.

"Hey, what's that frown for?" Shusei asked, putting his arm around her "I'm sorry for the MILF comment alright? But you really do look great…" he grinned "I really am the luckiest son of a bitch, having a hot wife like you."

Fumio flinched, placing a hand on Shusei's and lifting it off her shoulder "Shusei…" she whispered, looking up at the man she loved "There's…there's something I need to tell you?"

"Fumio?" Shusei wondered, looking down at the woman in concern, only to curse, lunging forwards, tackling her off the fountain to the ground, just in time to avoid being bitten by a giant blue snake.

"Oh? You dodged that?" The Medusa Legendorgas noted, smirking cruelly as she walked towards the startled couple, her serpents hissing eagerly "I love defiant humans…their screams are always the sweetest!"

"Only one woman can make me scream you fugly freak!" Shusei shot back, causing Fumio's face to light up as he leapt to his feet, palming the Ixa Knuckle and holding it across his chest with a flair "Henshin!"

"**FIST ON!"** the Ixa-buckle declared as the Knuckle slid into place, a golden cross emanating from the buckle, the proto-Ixa armor forming over Shusei as he cracked his armored knuckles in anticipation.

"Time to return those lives you stole to God, ya freak!" Proto-Ixa challenged, charging the Legendorgas, who seemed surprised at the transformation, only to smirk confidently as she readied herself, as she'd bested the White Rider before.

Said confidence went flying out the window as Shusei proceeded to pummel the serpentine monster, his blows, far heavier and faster than his son's, knocking it about like a ragdoll as he drove her away from the crowds.

"Shusei…" Fumio marveled, staring after the man that would become Kenta's father in wonderment, only to blink as a shadow loomed over her, her eyes widening as she spun round to face her assailant, only for darkness to fall over her.

* * *

_With Proto-Ixa..._

"You monsters are all the same!" Proto-Ixa snarled, Kenta's father kneeing the snake bitch in the stomach before delivering a savage head butt that sent her reeling "Think you can just waltz in and expect humans to scamper off like mice." He grabbed the snake under the arms and threw her against a pillar "Too bad for you, rats like me are vicious bastards!"

Bandages lashed out, grabbing the White Rider and hurling him away from the stricken serpent, Proto-Ixa rising to his feet, only to glare at the sight of the Mummy, Gargoyle, and Mandrake Legendorgas marching on him. "Hey ugly…" the time-displaced Rider greeted, smirking under his helmet at the monster that had threatened his son on the tower "Have a nice flight?"

"He's mine…" the gargoyle hissed, charging in with its arms wide, Proto-Ixa meeting the charge head on, the two of them deadlocking, their strength seemingly equal, until Shusei employed one of the oldest street fighting tricks in the book, namely the old nut-nudger, to catch the monster off guard, following it up with a knee to the face that drove the Gargoyle back.

Before he could advance on his downed foe however, the Mummy Legendorgas lashed out with his bandages, which slashed against the armor like blades, sparks erupting from Proto-Ixa's frame as he staggered about, trying to defend himself as best he could, only to spasm as his belt released a hazard warning, steam erupting from under the armor as he fell to the floor, the armor disengaging as it overheated.

"F-fuck!" Shusei cursed, Kenta's father gritting his teeth as he slowly pushed himself off the ground with his elbows, his entire body feeling like it was filled with hot glass shards "F-fucking hell...forgot the damned time limit…!"

"This will be too easy…" the Medusa Legendorgas hissed, the four of them lining up before the downed rider, their hands reaching out to him as he struggled to sit up.

Abruptly, four motorcycles rushed onto the scene, each slamming into one of the Legendorgas, skidding to a halt in front of Shusei, who gaped up at the teenage riders as they dismounted. "K-Kenta?" Shusei panted, looking up at his son as the teen turned to face the Legendorgas, alongside three other teens "An' Stringbean? What're you doin' here?"

"The name isn't stringbean, old man." Lelouch shot back, glaring over his shoulder in annoyance at the man, who bristled at the 'old man' comment "And as for what we're doing here…" he smirked as he slapped the Decadriver in place, at the same time as Kenta slipped his own belt on "We're saving your life!"

"**Kamen Ride:" **the Decadriver announced, even Shinji summoned his belt, Kenta pressed the Ixa-Knuckle against his palm, earning a mechanized cry of **"Ready!"** and Kibat clamped onto Tsukune's extended hand with a cry of **"Gaburi!"**

"Henshin!" all four teens cried out, going through their respective transformations, Shusei looking on in disbelief as the teenage Kamen Riders stood between him and the Legendorgas, both sides rushing each other with a joint snarl.

"Chou-Henshin!" Kuuga cried out, shifting to his Dragon form, using his pole-arm to fend off the serpents of the Medusa Legendorgas, striking her repeatedly across the face, before sweeping her feet out from under her.

Ixa faced off against the Mandrake Legendorgas, activating Burst mode to drive the creature back with the heat wave, his Calibur carving through the creature's vines, not giving it a second to think as he hacked at the monster that had DARED attack his father.

Kiva found himself facing off against the Gargoyle Legendorgas, shifting into his Dogga form in order to match the monster's raw strength, flipping it through the air and slamming it into the ground with the fist shaped Hammer.

Decade, meanwhile, faced off against the Mummy Legendorgas, the green-eyed rider using his 'Illusion' ride to surround the monster, before opening fire with a salvo of 'Blast' rides that peppered the monster from all sides, driving it to the floor, trailing smoke from it's wounds.

* * *

_Aftermath of beatdown..._

"H-how…" the Mummy Legendorgas muttered, looking up at it's opponent, noting with a sense of horrified amazement that its comrades weren't faring much better against theirs "How can we be losing to you?"

"Just like Victor suggested." Decade muttered, the passing through Kamen Rider standing over the Mummy Legendorgas as it rose panting to it's knees "He matched us up perfectly, you four aren't so tough when we separate you."

"You bastard!" the mummy snarled, struggling to its feet, only to curse as its comrades were hurled into it, the lot of them scrambling off the ground, managing to get to their knees as they glared at the Riders "Who the hell are you?"

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider…" Decade muttered, reaching into the Ridebooker with an almost lazy air, raising a card in the air between his fingers "But you won't be around to remember that…"

Before he could slot the card however, a metallic silver blur launched out of the shadows, mechanical wings slashing at the Riders' armor, forcing them away from the Legendorgas with cries of alarm and pain as they fell to the ground. "What the hell?" Kibat exclaimed, the golden bat gaping up at what appeared to be a silver and blue mechanical replica "Who the hell are you?"

"Rey Kibat." A voice called out, the Riders looking up as a tall figure stepped out of the shadows, dressed in a long black trench coat over what appeared to be a paladin's robe, a wide brimmed hat pulled over his head.

"Y-You?" Ixa exclaimed, the white Rider gaping up at the taller man in astonishment, even as the Legendorgas clambered to their feet, assembling behind their savior, chuckling sinsiterly now that the boot was on the other foot.

"Long time no see…" the stranger greeted, his Japanese tinted with a Germanic accent as he smirked, pushing the brim of his hat up with a long, slender finger, revealing a handsome young man of European descent, his curly blonde hair framing a face set with blue eyes that glittered with dark amusement "Kenta Usui-san."

"Winner…Sinclair?" Kiva stammered, Kuuga and Decade turning to look at the dark Rider as he gaped at the older teen, his disbelief apparent "He's Victor-san's grandson…He was Ixa's user before Usui-kun."

"It's RIGHTFUL user." Winner added imperiously, the tall, blonde Prussian glaring down at Ixa as he spoke, his blue eyes glowing with a dangerous light "Not that it mattered to YOU of course, Kenta Usui, you thief!"

"I didn't ask for this!" Ixa countered, getting to his knees with a grunt, his eyes never leaving the tall foreigner as he spoke "Victor was the one who gave me the armor!" he explained, pointing at the teen accusingly "After YOU screwed up!"

"I did NOT screw up!" Winner snapped, glaring at the downed rider loathingly "You went behind my back! Tricked Grandfather into giving you my birthright! I was the one chosen to wield Ixa's power! You stole that from me! Just like you stole Karin!"

"I didn't steal anything from you!" Ixa snapped, the riders having clambered to their feet by now, eyeing their foes warily "You're the one that put civilians at risk! And Karin never liked you in the first place!"

"Lies!" Winner snarled, only to halt, covering his face to compose himself, his confident smirk restored as he lowered his hand "No matter…I have no need of grandfather's hand me downs anymore…I've obtained a power GREATER than Ixa…Greater than KIVA's!" with this he spread his arms wide "With it, I shall make Karin-chan mine once again!"

"**Attack ride: BLAST!"**

Winner yelped, dancing on the spot to avoid the shots fired at his feet, the Legendorgas mimicking his actions as they glared at the culprit, who lowered the Ridebooker with a snort. "I'm sorry, were you still talking?" Decade asked, his tone snide as he raised the Ridebooker, leaning against a pillar, his posture bored "You were taking so long I almost fell asleep."

"YOU BASTARD!" Winner snarled, the seething blonde Prussian glaring at the Passing-Through Rider in disdain as Rey Kibat flew up to him, gripping the mechanical bat with a growl "REY KIBAT!"

"**Henshin…"** Rey Kibat declared, clipping onto the teen's belt, a giant snowflake forming before him, receding back to reveal a white rider with gold adornments, like claws on his shoulder pads, his helmet set with glowing blue eyes and a mouth guard like a fanged maw, the four riders backing away in surprise.

"**WAKE UP!"** the mechanical bat declared, the chains around the evil rider's arms shattering, revealing three long, golden claws as he advanced on them, snarling angrily as he lashed out at them with a savagery that was more akin to a Fangire than a Kamen Rider, the Legendorgas joining the fray once again.

* * *

_As Rey Attacks..._

"Good grief…" Decade swore, the passing through Kamen Rider glaring at this new enemy in annoyance, even as he fought alongside an equally vexed Ixa "You really know how to piss people off, don't you?"

"It's not my fault!" Ixa snapped, the two of them kicking Winner in the stomach to force him back, only to be attacked by the Mummy and Medusa Legendorgas, Kiva and Kuuga likewise being ambushed by the Mandrake and Gargoyle Legendorgas, who slashed at them repeatedly, battering the riders in a turn about of the earlier battle.

"Kenta-kun!" a voice called out, gunshots sounding as Karin Maaka, who had just arrived on the scene, opened fire, the bullets slamming into Winner's back, the Evil Rider turning to face her with a growl.

"Stop! Winner!" Ixa yelled, struggling within the grasp of the Legendorgas as he reached out for the delusional rider as he turned and rushed the woman they both loved "Run! Karin!"

Too late, it seemed, for Winner lunged forwards, the claws on his arms sealing themselves beneath their chains as he punched Karin in the stomach, the girl's eyes widening, before slumping forwards, out cold. "You bastard!" Ixa snarled, only to be sent flying through the air, his transformation cancelling as he slammed against a pillar, Decade and Kuuga meeting similar fates as they landed next to him.

"Just like you stole the two things most important to me…Kenta Usui…" Winner noted, holding the unconscious form of Karin in his arms, as the Gargoyle Legendorgas walked up with an unconscious Tsukune slung over his shoulder "I have taken the things that matter to you..."

"You bastard…" Kenta growled again, the bounty hunter glaring up at the elder teen, only to pale as the Mandrake Legendorgas walked up, dragging the unconscious form of Fumio Usui, the woman trussed up in its vines, out cold "Mom!"

"If you want them back…" Winner called out, sneering at the group as darkness formed around them "Then come to Hell's Castle…We'll be waiting for you."

And with that, they vanished, leaving the four riders lying on the ground, cursing and nursing their wounds.

* * *

Kyugan: And that's why I rock and you suck.

GN: I find that a little hard to believe.

Lelouch: I dunno, I rather liked the part with the cyborg pirate ninjas.

GN: Still doesn't sell it for me.

Kyugan: Here's a butterfinger, now fuck off!

GN: YAY! *Takes a bite, only to pass through* NOOO~!

Lelouch: Well, that sold me.

Kyugan: You've been playing along this whole time, haven't you.

Lelouch: I can honestly say i have no idea what you're talking about.

Kyugan: You beautiful bastard...

Next time on Code Decade:

_The Rider's are defeated!_

Shinji: He kept going on about Usui-sa stealing something from him.

Victor: He mis-used Ixa's power...I was forced to give it to Usui-kun.

_One of their own is captured!_

Moka-sama: I can understand this 'Winner' kidnapping Ixa's other and lover...but Tsukune is MY servant.

Kibat: Moka-sama! You intend to fight yourself?

_An ominous invitation..._

Rey Kibat: Moka Akashiya...if you want Tsukune Aono and the women returned, you must come to Hell's Castle Alone.

Moka: Lead the way.

_And a long-awaited confrontation._

Hokuto: My greetings to you...heir of Kiva.

Moka: You have something that belongs to me.

_An age old feud revived..._

Hokuto: And if I refuse?

Moka: Henshin!

_And old friends turned foe..._

Hokuto: Tsukune! Come greet your former master!

Moka: What have you done to him!

Hokuto: The Cursed Line of Kiva...ends HERE!

_With new pieces on the board..._

Moka: You...what are you?

Lelouch: As i expected...loks like you could use our help after all...

_To bring the game to a close._

Hokuto: You bastard...who the HELL do you think you ARE?

Lelouch" Just a passing through Kamen Rider...REMEMBER THAT!

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	13. Chibi Kiva Capu 6

Back again, and things aren't looking good for the Riders.

Lelouch: Tell me about it...damn Movie Riders and their God-modding...

Kyugan: Now, Now. In any case, let's see how the gang handles this one!

Warning, the following chapter contains a modified opening sequence. You were warned earlier that this would happen eventually. If you do not like it, that's fine, but don't review about it.

* * *

The King of Hells' Castle.

It was a solemn scene at Café Julian, as the wounded riders lay in the booths, trying to recover their strength, a concerned manager and Hikari flitting between them with cool cloths and bandages.

"Winner…" Victor muttered, the elderly Sinclair's features solemn as he prowled between the aisles, hands clasped behind his back "To think he'd try something this foolish…"

"What the hell was his problem?" Shinji muttered, the last Ikari accepting a cup of warm cocoa from the manager with a flinch "He kept going on about Usui-san stealing something from him."

"It goes back well before we learned Tsukune was Kiva." Victor muttered, shaking his head with a grunt "Back then, Winner was Ixa's user, the system had finally been perfected, and I entrusted it to him as a member of the WBS."

"The fact he was your grandson had nothing to do with it I suppose?" Lelouch butted in snidely, earning a glare from Victor, who sighed after a moment.

"I'll…admit I had high hopes for the boy…" Victor allotted "He was my only heir, his parents having passed on in an accident, and he was so determined to uphold our legacy." He sighed "But he misused Ixa's power…put civilian lives in danger, and wound up in the hospital." He shook his head at the memory "I had no choice but to entrust the system to Kenta-kun, who happened to be there at the time and used it to defeat the Fangire," he turned to look at Shusei "WITHOUT prior training."

"That's my boy…" Shusei grunted proudly, lying on a sofa with his shirt off, swathed in bandages underneath, his jacket slung over him for decency's sake.

"Indeed…" Victor agreed, his moustache twitching in what might have been a smile, before sighing "When Winner got out of the hospital, he felt I had betrayed him. Words were exchanged, and he left the WBS…I hadn't heard from him for almost half a year now…" he frowned "I heard he'd joined the Templars."

"Those nut jobs?" Shusei gaped, Kenta's future sire sitting up in his rage, only to wince as his chest ached from the injuries he'd received during the fight.

"That's them." Victor muttered with a scowl, turning to look at Lelouch and Shinji "The Templars are an ancient order devoted to the extermination of the dark forces that plague this world." He nodded grimly "I was once a member myself, but I left after clashing with the leaders over their…extreme measures."

"The bastards tried to kill Kiva, and all the 'monsters' in town, by setting off a nuke." Kenta explained with a grimace, earning looks of shock from Shinji and Hikari, while Lelouch scowled at the over-the-top tactic.

"I had heard rumors from my old contacts that the Templars were developing a Rider System based off of what they'd learned from Kiva." Victor continued, his brow furrowing as he stroked his beard "However, the experiments turned up naught…no normal human could use it."

"Considering the fact that your grandson's working with the Legendorgas…" Lelouch opined, the teen sitting up with a grimace "I think it's safe to say he's hardly HUMAN anymore."

Victor said nothing, but it was clear he didn't like the sound of that. Estranged or not, Winner was still his grandson, and the old man had lost far too many already to want to lose anyone else, enemy or not.

"Of course he hates you…" Tachibana opined from the side, absorbed in washing the dishes "You all but turned around and gave something he got from you to a perfect stranger, never stopping to think how he'd react."

"Hey…" Kenta exclaimed, the bounty hunter/college student looking at the bespectacled young woman in alarm, noting how Victor's face had turned solemn "Tachibana-san…"

"That's not something a woman should say…" Shusei pointed out, glaring pointedly at the young woman "What would Yuri say if she heard you talking like that?"

"Don't talk to me about that woman!" Yuriya snapped, slamming the dishes into the sink with a glare, though the group were shocked to see tears at the corner of her eyes "Day after day she was performing, performing, performing! She wouldn't spend a single day in my company if she could find a means to get away!"

"That doesn't sound like Yuri at all!" Shusei countered, sitting up with a grimace, batting aside the manager as he looked the girl in the face "Yuri never stopped talking about you, during the times Fumio and I were guarding her she kept talking about how she had a cute little girl waiting for her at home…" he grinned at Kenta "Made Fumio wish SHE had one now I think about it."

"Mama…said that?" Yuriya stammered, blinking in confusion, only to look up as Lelouch stood, the purple eyed teen brushing aside a concerned Hikari as he pulled up his violin case and set it on the counter.

"Your mother…" the teen muttered, opening the case as he spoke "told me that the purpose of her music was to heal the pain in people's hearts." The teen looked a stunned Yuriya in the eyes "Have you ever heard it? The song she played?"

Without waiting for an answer, Lelouch lifted his violin under his chin, raised the bow to the strings, and began to play, a gentle, soothing tune that twenty two years ago had soothed the hearts of hardened criminals, and made people forget their troubles, if only for a little while. The assembled group letting the music wash over them, their injuries and troubles slowly forgotten as they sat back, eyes closed, savoring the feeling of bliss the music brought.

Yuriya blinked, her eyes widening as an image superimposed itself over Lelouch, that of a young woman, her spitting image save for her hairstyle and lack of glasses, a kind smile on her face as she stroked the strings of her instrument. She reached out, as if to touch that smiling face, only for the song to end, blinking as she found herself staring into Lelouch's purple eyes.

"Mama…" Yuriya stammered, looking at the purple eyed professor in wonderment "That was…mama's playing?" she clasped her hands over her breast, looking at the ground, torn between tears and joy "I've…never truly listened to it…before…"

"Nice playing, maestro…" a voice applauded, the group turning to find Moka standing in the doorway, the lord of Castle Doran's features lined with wry approval "Another of your 'talents' I suppose?"

"Perhaps…" Lelouch allotted, the passing-through Rider turning to face the silver haired vampire queen with a nod "Still, it doesn't serve to answer our current dilemma."

"Indeed…" Moka noted, stepping into the café with a scowl on her face "While I don't approve of such methods, I can understand this 'Winner' kidnapping Ixa's mother and girlfriend…" she scowled suddenly "However, Tsukune is MY servant, to take him like that is to challenge me directly."

"M-Moka-sama!" Kibat stammered, the golden mechanical bat flapping into view with a look of concern in his crimson eyes "Don't tell me you plan to fight yourself?"

"And why should we not?" Moka demanded, quirking a brow at the bat "The Lord of Hells' castle, Arc, was sealed by Kiva's power, and only the heir to Kiva can wield it."

"My guess is that they took Tsukune-kun as a bargaining chip." Victor muttered, his tone grim as the others looked between themselves "That, or they truly believe HE'S the heir to Kiva."

"Which isn't all that far fetched…" Kenta muttered darkly as he glared at Moka pointedly from the side "After all, he's done all the legwork while you reaped the benefits."

"Our arrangements are none of your concerns, Ixa." Moka growled, upper lip curling slightly, revealing the tip of a fang "However, rest assured that I will make them PAY for laying a finger on my servant."

"Bold words…" a deep voice opined, the group turning just as Rey Kibat fluttered through the doors, ignoring the protests of Kibat as it looked them over "Moka Akashiya-dono…if you wish Tsukune Aono and the women returned unharmed, you will come alone to Hells' castle."

"You will address Moka-sama with her full title you Mechanical Forgery!" Kibat snarled, the two clashing in mid-air, only for Moka to separate them, glaring at Kibat to make him behave.

"Very well." the queen muttered, earning a look of shock from the others as she addressed Rey Kibat directly, her features solemn "Lead the way, machine."

"Hold on there, Moka-san!" Shinji insisted, the last Ikari flinching back under the vampire's withering glare for his overly-familiar tone "You aren't really going to-?"

"You're all injured." Moka countered, looking them all over with a snort of disdain "You would only slow me down." She frowned "Besides…Tsukune is MY servant…I need no help reclaiming him."

And with that, she left, slamming the door behind her, causing Kibat, who'd tried to follow, to slam into it with a yelp.

* * *

The screen jumps, replaced with the image of a Violin sitting on a chair, surrounded by rose petals.

_The Destroyer of worlds…Decade…_

Lelouch is seen walking down a dimly lit corridor towards the violin.

_what does he see as he traverses the parallel worlds…_

Lelouch reaches out to the Violin, turning round, Decade staring at the camera, as guitar music plays, Kiva rising vertically into the air, his hell's leg unsealed.

_Bakubaku Beatin' heart Kattobashite Kick it up_

Decade and Kiva are seen riding the Machine Decader and Machine Kivaa.

_Bakibaki Burnin' heart Kimi koso One & Only_

Moka is seen sitting on her thrown as the arms monsters walk towards her.

_(Wake up Wake up)_

Tsukune wakes up, covered in rose petals, even as Lelouch does the same from above.

_Kimi ga sekai ni sonzai shite 'ru_

Lelouch reaches for a violin placed against the wall, even as Tsukune does the same, standing on the ceiling.

_Imi wo shiritaku nai?_

The picture rotates, now Lelouch is on the ceiling, both teens looking back at the camera.

_Bakubaku Beatin' heart (Beatin' Beatin')_

Kenta, Karin, Tsukune, Lelouch, Shinji and Hikari are seen sitting at Julian, enjoying coffee and small talk as Kibat's flutters before the screen.

_Bakibaki Burnin' heart_

The screen changes to show Fumio and Shusei walking into Julian, greeted by a younger looking Alfred and the eternally young owner of Julian, as little Kibat's with different colored eyes bounce around the edges of the screen.

_(Come up Y'all!)_

Shinji holds up a picture screen showing Decade, Kiva and Ixa locked in battle, while an upside down Hikari lowers a plaque reading 2010.

_Soko ni kakurete 'te mo_

Moka-sama is shown with chains moving under her skin, the image changes to show Shusei and Fumio mirroring the previous two, only showing Proto-Ixa battling Fangires alone, the plaque reading 1986.

_Nani mo hajimannai_

The chains erupt from Moka's body, even as Decade stands before a giant, stained glass mural, which depicts the Rider War.

_Tozasarete 'ta doa wo sono ashi de kowase_

Moka shatter's the chains, her crimson eyes flashing angrily as she lashes out at the screen with a savage kick.

_Me ni mieru fuan wo kazoete_

Lelouch and Tsukune stand back to back, going through their respective transformation poses, while Fumio and Karin lash out at the screen with their anti-fangire whips.

_Tomaranaide (Just kick it) unmei no Rule yabutte 'ku_

Decade and Kiva stand back to back, the screen changes to reveal Yuriya and Yuri, who both reach out to touch the same Violin.

_Me ni mienai tsunagari shinjite_

Hokuto is shown sitting on a throne, surrounded by the Legendorgas, a cruel smile on his face as he gestures towards the screen.

_Ugokidasou (Just do it)_

The camera zooms in on Kuuga, Ixa and Proto-Ixa as they transform and go into a combat pose.

_You got to change Breakin' the chain_

Decade rears back, delivering a punishing blow to the stained glass that shatters under the force of the blow.

_Tobashite 'ke ashita e_

Zero, who was lurking behind the stained glass, lunges at Decade with his sword drawn, Decade following suit.

_Don't be afraid (The) world is your stage... Go!_

The two enemies clash as Kiva is seen perched atop castle Doran's spire. He leaps up, the camera zooming out to reveal Castle Doran, only for Decade to come down instead, the image changing to reveal the Decadriver, Kiva's crest glowing in the centre.

_Bakubaku Beatin' heart! Kimi koso One & Only!_

* * *

_Later..._

Hells' castle loomed in the darkness; it's deceptively white walls hiding the darkness within, as Hokuto Kaneshiro sat on the massive throne of the Legendorgas, his eloquent features twisted into a cold smile as he gazed down at this latest guest, who was led into the room by his loyal servants.

"My greeting to you…" he offered, smiling as she came to a halt before the steps leading up to his throne "Queen Moka Akashiya, heir of Kiva." He inclined his head "Your beauty is as they say…other worldly."

"Can the pleasantries, you relic." Moka countered, glaring the Legendorgas into submission as they stepped forward at her insulting tone "You have something that belongs to me."

"Ah…the boy who would be Kiva…" Hokuto mused, smiling at the vampire, as if un-intimidated by her overwhelming Youki "Such a presumptuous fellow, wearing the armor of the King without knowing its full import."

"I grow tired of your games, relic." Moka warned, her eyes flashing dangerously as she glared at the man before her "I will not ask again, RELEASE my servant, and the human women as well."

"Oh?" Hokuto asked, the transformed mortal smirking as his eyes flashed golden, Moka's eyes narrowing as she saw a golden aura surround his tall form "And if I refuse?"

"To me, KIBAT!" Moka snapped, the silver haired vampire queen standing tall, crimson eyes flashing as she glared defiantly at the monster, her hand held out to the side.

"But of course, Moka-sama." a deep voice called out, a black and red bat with golden eyes and markings flapping out of the wings, the Legendorgas looking on in confusion as it clamped down on Moka's hand **"Gaburi!"**

"You speak of the power of Kiva?" Moka demanded, even as several vein like tattoos flowed up her cheeks, her eyes flashing scarlet as quicksilver wrapped around her waist, forming a belt "Know your place!"

"**HENSHIN!" **the dark bat declared, dark energy washing over Moka's frame, leaving her clad in a suit of black and red armor with savage green eyes. Dark, wing like structures framed the helmet, and a long black cape ran down her back.

"Come…" Dark Kiva beckoned, gesturing for the stunned Legendorgas to come forward, while Hokuto looked on in amusement "Learn your place, at my feet!"

"You bitch!" the Gargoyle Legendorgas snarled, lunging forwards, intent on ripping the uppity vampire in two, only to be sent sailing back the way he came, courtesy of a savage backhand to the face, Dark Kiva slotting a fuestle into her belt as she fought off the other Legendorgas.

"**ZANBAT SWORD!" **Kibat bat the seconddeclared, blowing into the whistle, a sound like a flute blowing as something smashed through a nearby window, the sword from castle Doran's throne room flying into Dark Kiva's hand, as she used it to hack away at the Legendorgas with a savagery that was beautiful, and terrifying, to behold.

"You relics of a bygone era…" Moka snarled, sharpening the Zanbat Sword with each strike, the eyes of it's cross guard glowing ominously as the blade turned crimson "KNOW YOUR PLACE!"

She lashed out, spinning in a circle, sending a red wave at her assailants, who flew against the walls, howling in pain, Hokuto's bemused smirk looking down at the scene before him, as if watching a play.

"Ah…the Legendary Demon Imperial Zanbat Sword…" he noted, watching as Dark Kiva held the blade at her side, a low growl emanating from the weapon "One of the three symbols of the King, other than the armor and Castle Doran…" he sighed "It is like your father stands before me once again…"

"Do not confuse me with my Lord Father…" Dark Kiva ordered, pointing the tip of the blade at Hokuto's face "Now, do as I said, release Tsukune and the women!"

"You wish to see him?" Hokuto asked, Moka's eyes narrowing as a golden aura formed over the man, an astral image of a giant, over three meters tall, superimposed over the man "Then by all means…Tsukune, come greet your former master!"

Dark Kiva's eyes narrowed, her sharp hearing catching the rustling of wings, already moving before the shape that had roosted in the shadows of the roof swooped down, it's razor sharp wings narrowly missing the Lord of Castle Doran as she back flipped out of the way, her feet, glaring at the creature.

"You bastard…" she snarled, glaring at Hokuto as the wyvern creature shrieked, flying through the air to perch on the astral arm of the man "What have you done to him?"

"Nothing at all…" Hokuto chuckled, tossing a familiar silver chain in the air "All I did was unshackle him from your leash…and baptized him in the power of the Legendorgas." He smirked at the creature "How ironic...the very servant that earned the power of Kiva for you…shall be the one that ends your line!"

"I think not!" Dark Kiva declared, sharpening the Zanbat sword once again as she rolled out of the way of the Wyvern's attack, tracking its flight pattern with cold, calculating eyes.

"Moka-sama…" Kibat the 2nd murmured, the father of Kibat the 3rd and guardian of the King's power sounding concerned "Are you certain of this? If you use the Zanbat Sword, Tsukune-Kun will…"

"I have no need for a servant that would attack his master." Dark Kiva muttered, the Zanbat sword glowing crimson as she braced herself, glaring up at the creature as it swooped down on her from on high, talons extended and screaming for blood. She struck, the sword lashing out, aiming to cleave the Wyvern's head from its shoulders in one stroke.

There was a flash of crimson, followed by a screech, and then Moka slammed against the wall, Kibat the 2nd flapping over her in concern as the Wyvern circled hovered overhead, keening angrily.

"You truly aren't your father…" Hokuto mused, smirking darkly as he raised his arm for the creature to perch once more, seemingly unimpressed with the ten foot scar that marred the wall beside his throne, scant inches from his head "The previous Kiva wouldn't have let sentimentality for a useless servant cloud his judgment." He smirked "In fact, it was BECAUSE he cut through the hostages I placed between us that he was able to cut me down."

"You bastard!" Kibat growled, only to curse as he was entangled in the Mummy Legendorgas' bandages, the monsters regaining their footing as their circled around the downed vampire "Moka-sama!"

"I have waited an eternity for this…" Hokuto hissed, his eyes glowing the same golden hue as his astral projection, as he smirked down at the scene in anticipation "The cursed line of Kiva…end's here!"

* * *

_Jynx!_

Two blasts of concentrated air slammed into the Legendorgas, sending them sprawling away from Moka, who blinked, looking up in shock at the two figures standing on the steps behind her.

"You?" she wondered, looking up in wonderment at Shusei Iizuka and Kenta Usui, the father and son aiming their Ixa knuckles at the Legendorgas with matching scowls on their faces "What are you-?"

"As I expected…" a cultured voice noted, Lelouch stepping into the room, dressed in his red denim jacket and jeans once more "Looks like you could use some help after all."

"Still your tongue, human!" Moka snapped, glaring at the teen, climbing to her feet, ignoring Shinji's offered hand "Tsukune is MY servant! I need no help reclaiming him!"

"Your servant…right." Lelouch muttered, the passing through Rider quirking an eyebrow at the vampire "Well if that's how you want to play it, fine." He held up a finger "However, while he may be your servant, Tsukune is our comrade…" he turned his back to the vampire, who was looking at him in surprise "And the bond of comrades outweighs that of a master and servant."

"You…" Moka growled, her brows furrowed, but more in confusion rather than anger, glaring at the cocky teen, only to blink as Lelouch smirked at her knowingly.

"But then…you know that better than anyone," the purple-eyed teen opined, looking up at the wyvern with a confident smirk "don't you, Tsukune Aono?"

"Kill them." Hokuto growled, the Wyvern shrieking as it launched from his arm, swooping in to attack the cavalry, who scrambled to avoid it, Moka looking on in wonderment as, rather than lashing out, they seemed to be trying to reason with it.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, watching as Kenta and Shusei were slammed against a wall, their wounds from earlier reopening, even as Shinji was sent sprawling at her feet "Transform! You can't do anything like this!"

"On the contrary…" Lelouch countered, the four men rising to their feet, gasping for breath, their bodies battered and bleeding, but their eyes defiant "There's something we can only do like this…something even Kiva's power cannot do."

"A power…beyond Kiva's?" Moka blinked, the silver haired vampire queen looking at the group of humans in alarm, even as Hokuto chuckled from atop his throne.

"How intriguing…" the Lord of Hell's castle chuckled, his eyes shining with dark mirth as he gestured towards them "Very well…show me this so called power…with your bodies!"

"Tsukune!" Kenta called out, the younger Ixa Rider trying to grab the Wyvern's attention as it rounded on him, screeching ferally "Fight it man! It's us!"

"Wake up kiddo!" Shusei called out, the elder Ixa leaping up and putting the Wyvern in a headlock, only to be hurled clear with a curse "Don't let this fucker control you!"

"Tsukune-san! Fight it!" Shinji yelled, the last Ikari ducking between the pillars to dodge the wyvern's fireballs and talons "You're stronger than this!"

"How pathetic…" Hokuto called out, his tone laced with dark amusement as the men tried, and failed, to reach Tsukune's consciousness "your feeble attempts are useless, those baptized by the power of the Legendorgas, can never be set free!"

The wyvern screeched, Lelouch cursing as he braced himself to dodge, only to blink as a silver haired figure stepped between them, his eyes widening as Moka stood there, her arms held wide and her eyes set in a determined glare as the wyvern's fangs flashed "No!"

With and audible crunch, the wyvern sank it's fangs into Moka's body, the vampire's body jolting, but remaining upright, her eyes narrowing briefly, before closing, her arms coming round to embrace the creatures head.

"How pathetic…" she muttered, her voice whimsical and self-mocking, as her head rested against the monsters neck "To not only allow such a thing…but to allow myself to be influenced by mere humans…"

The Wyvern growled, it's teeth sinking deeper into the vampire's body, only for Moka's hand to continue stroking it's crimson head.

"Tsukune…" she spoke, her face reverent, as she smiled distantly "Do you recall…the night we first met?"

* * *

_Flashback..._

"_You're a fool…you know that?" Moka pointed out, glaring down at the slumped form of Tsukune, who had a hole the size of a fist punched through his torso "Interfering in my hunt…what on earth were you thinking?"_

_The vampire queen aspirant glared down at the still form, her eyes boring into the pathetic, empty features of the boy, the light of life literally gone from his eyes, though she could tell his soul still lingered._

"_Getting involved in a fight between Mazoku…" she muttered "Truly, there's no end to Human stupidity…" her features softened, kneeling down next to the youth and cupping his cheek "However…you lost your life trying to save mine…honor dictates that I reward such an act…"_

_Leaning in, the silver haired vampire embraced the teen, baring her fangs, clamping down on his neck, the body jerking as she pumped her blood and power into him._

"_You will live…boy." She stated, the words an imperial decree as Tsukune's body jerked, the hole in his chest sealing rapidly as Moka held him in her arms "Until I release you…you will serve me..."_

* * *

_Flashback ends..._

"It's been so long…since that day…" Moka noted, her tone whimsical, even as the Wyvern's growls stilled, though it continued to grip her flesh in it's jaws "You risked life and soul for me then…and have served me faithfully, through thick and thin…" her gaze saddened "I would not be queen today…were it not for you…" she closed her eyes "If saving you means giving you my life…you may have it…" her eyes snapped open "However…my life belongs to Tsukune Aono the MAN…if you wish to kill me…return to your normal self first!"

With that she embraced the wyvern around it's neck, the great beast's head rising from her flesh as it cried out, an almost gentle croon, the great wings coming round, closing over the vampires form as if to embrace her, the great head lowering to rest on hers, as the giant body glowed a blinding white, Hokuto and the Legendorgas shielding their eyes with cries of pain, even as the humans looked on, their eyes widening in shock as the light dimmed.

There, standing bare-chested in Moka's embrace, the crest of Kiva tattooed over his heart, was Tsukune, the teen's head resting against the vampires as they clung to each other.

"Moka…san…" the teen whispered, his arms tightening their hold on the vampire, his dazed eyes opening to look up at her in wonderment, like a man waking from a dream, even as Moka smiled down at the teen warmly.

"Welcome back…Tsukune…" she greeted, Lelouch and the others jogging over to greet their young friend and comrade with open arms, and in Shusei's case, a whoop of joy, only to brace themselves as Hokuto descended from the throne, the possessed convict's face a mask of fury.

"How is this possible?" the Lord of Hell's Castle demanded, glaring at Tsukune and Moka, his eyes flashing golden in disdain as his aura fluctuated around him, the giant horned figure weaving in and out of the visual spectrum "The Baptism of the Legendorgas…!"

"Sorry…Kaneshiro…" Lelouch called out, the purple eyed rider stepping between the two and the possessed man "But you've clearly lost…not to the power of Kiva…but to the power of the human heart."

"Lamperouge-sensei?" Tsukune wondered, blinking at the teen's words, looking up at Moka, who had the decency to turn her head to the side, a slight flush adorning her cheeks.

"Even with the power of Kiva, the previous King could only seal you away." Lelouch continued, smirking at the lord of Hell's castle "He couldn't even finish the job he started." He nodded gestured to Moka and Tsukune "But this new Kiva, one who wields that power to protect the ones he loves, one who would risk herself for the man she loves…" he smirked at the possessed convict "Their power was too great for your cheap illusions and parlor tricks."

"You bastard…" Hokuto snarled, the possessed convict glaring at the Lelouch with all the venom that filled the withered remains of his soul "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider…" Lelouch called out, smirking as he readied a card from his Ridebooker "Remember that!"

"**Kamen Ride: DECADE!" **the Decadriver announced, Lelouch's armor forming over him, Kenta, Shusei and Shinji got into their own stances.

"Henshin!" the three riders declared, Shinji assuming his Mighty form as Kenta and Shusei summoned their respective Ixa armor, all three moving into a ready stance as the Legendorgas snarled, both sides leaping into the fight with equal ferocity.

"Shinji!" Decade called out, clashing with the Mummy Fangire as he glanced at Kuuga, who was fending off the Mandrake Fangire "Got get Fumio-san and Karin-san!"

"Hai!" Kuuga yelled, kicking the plant monster in the stomach, sending it sprawling to the floor, before turning on his heel, Shusei tackling the Gargoyle Fangire before it could follow after him.

"KILL THEM ALL!" Hokuto snarled, the Lord of Hell's Castle glaring at his servants as power washed off him in waves, throwing his head back with a snarl "ARC KIBAT!"

"Yeah!" an aged voice cheered, a grey, mechanical-looking bat with drooping wrinkles under its eyes fluttering into view, attaching itself to Hokuto's belt "Shall we go? Doron-Doron…"

"KIBAT!" Moka and Tsukune called out, father and son flying into their respective partner's hands as Hokuto floated several feet into the air.

"**HENSHIN!" **all three Kibat's declared, Moka and Tsukune disappearing under liquid quicksilver, their armor snapping into place as a golden pentagram washed over the aerial form of Hokuto, who was replaced by the giant form of Arc, the true Lord of the Legendorgas.

"OH WHAT THE HELL?" Proto-Ixa yelped, Kenta's dad looking up at the three meter tall horned behemoth that towered over them, grappling with the Gargoyle Fangire "I CALL BULLSHIT!"

"You know what they say," Decade snorted, driving the Mummy Fangire off as he destroyed the Medusa Legendorgas with a 'SLASH' ride "The bigger they are…"

Kiva and Dark Kiva leapt at Arc, twin rider kicks aimed at it's face, only for the Legendorgas lord to swat them out of the air, smashing through a wall at the other side of the room.

"The more bones they break…" Kenta muttered, the three Riders sweatdropping as they scattered, getting clear of Arc's attacks as he lunged at them from on high.

* * *

_A dungeon..._

"Let us out of here!" Karin cried out, the purple haired girl and Fumio pounding on the door they'd been trapped in fervently "Let us out or you'll be sorry!"

"Karin-san! Fumio-san!" a familliar voice called out, the women's eyes widening as they recognized Shinji's concerned tone as footsteps raced down the hall "Where are you?"

"In here!" Karin called out, Kenta's girlfriend thumping the door with renewed vigor to catch the teen's attention "Shinji-kun! In here!"

"Get away from the door!" Shinji ordered, the women complying, not a second to soon, as Kuuga kicked the door in, the red armored rider stepping through to look at them in concern "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"Shinji-kun!" Karin exclaimed, even as Fumio blinked at the unfamiliar rider, as to her knowledge, the Ixa prototype was the only one "They did something to Tsukune-kun-!"

"He's fine!" Shinji assured them, taking Karin by the shoulders to calm her, before looking towards Fumio "C'mon, Lelouch and the others are fighting, I have to get you out of here!"

"You're not going anywhere…" a cold voice announced, the trio turning to find Winner Sinclair standing in the doorway, a murderous expression on his face.

* * *

Whew, that one took a lot out of me.

Lelouch: Whole...body...hurts...

Ghost Nappa: Being punched through a wall will do that to ya.

Lelouch: No shit...ow...fucking God-modding movie riders...

Indeed, and he's only gonna get worse.

Lelouch: Wonderfull...

Next time, on Code Decade:

_A clash in the Dungeon!_

Winner: If I cannot have you, Karin-chan, then I won't let ANYONE have you!

Kuuga: Winner-san, Please Surrender!

_The Father and Son Tag-team!_

Proto-Ixa: Time to return those lives you stole to God!

Ixa: DAD!

_Arc's Fury Erupts!_

KibatIII: WAKE UP!

Arc: Bitch, Please...

KibatII: Wake Up: ONE!

_A last Ditch Attempt,_

Arc: Give me the last remaining power of the Legendorgas!

_Results in the final battle,_

KibatII: CASTLE DORAN!

_The curtain falls,_

Decade: Tsukune...this is gonna tickle a bit...

Kibat: Kivatte...IKUZE!

_as the full moon rises._

Final Attack Ride:...K-K-K-KIVA!

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	14. Chiba Kiva Capu 7

Well now, last time we saw our crew, they wewre getting their asses handed to them by Arc.

Lelouch: Seriously, I mean bad nbeough he's a God-Modding Movi9e only Rider, but a Godsdammned GIANT too?

Meanwhile, Kuuga faces off against Winner Sinclair, who is several bats short of a belfry.

Moka-sama: If that was a vampire joke...

Kyugan: Do I look suicidal?

Ghost Nappa: Yes.

Kyugan: Oh dear, I seem to have left my Butterfingers in the Blender...

GN: NOOOOO-! (Phases in just as switch is flipped).

(Sound of a ghost being caught in a blender filled with Butterfingers).

Moka-sama: Nice, are you taping this?

Kyugan: Does Tsukune gety raped in the woods by female monsters?

Tsukune: *of screen* ITS COLD! AND STINGS!

* * *

WAKE UP: KIVA!

"Winner…san?" Karin stammered, the purple haired young woman looking at the tall, blonde foreigner in confusion, even as Kuuga whipped round, the Rider imposing himself between the women and Victor's grandson protectively "What…are you doing here?"

"I won't allow it…" Winner muttered, his eyes flashing a dangerous golden color as he glared at them all, Kuuga's eyes widening as he realized that Winner wasn't looking AT them, not directly, as if he were in a trance "If I cannot have you, Karin-chan, then I won't let ANYONE have you!"

"Karin-san, Fumio-san, Get back!" Kuuga declared, the red Rider looking on in grim determination even as Rey Kibat flapped into the room, the mechanical bat summoned from wherever he'd sequestered himself at his partner's enraged call "He's been brainwashed!"

"HENSHIN!" Winner snarled, Rey Kibat attaching itself to his belt as the the snowflake washed over him, Kamen Rider Rey throwing back his head with a snarl as the chains on his arms shattered, revealing his claws, summoned by the mechanical bat's **"WAKE UP!"**

With a snarl, the brainwashed Rider lunged at the trio, his golden claws reared back for a killing strike, his blue eyes shining murderously.

"ABANAI!" Kuuga yelled, shoving Fumio and Karin out of the way as he grappled with Rey, the white rider snarling as he tried to overpower the red, the two of them deadlocking, only for Rey to step back, slashing at the Unbalanced Kuuga, sending him sprawling against the wall of the prison.

"CHOU HENSHIN!" Kuuga cried out, his belt flashing purple as he switched to Titan form, his purple lined Silver armor forming as he grabbed a nearby, rusted sword from amongst the clutter, morphing it into the Titan sword as he rushed forwards to clash with Rey once again. "Winner-san!" he implored, looking into the brainwashed rider's blue eyes as they strained against one another "Fight it! You don't want to do this!"

"Shut up!" Rey snarled, breaking free and slashing at his opponent with an almost animalistic ferocity "What the hell do you know? OF course I want this! I want that thief Kenta Usui to suffer! Just as I suffered!"

"Usui-san didn't do anything to you!" Kuuga insisted fending the feral rider off with a series of two handed strikes that scraped against the white rider's armor " Victor-san didn't have a choice! When you were sent to the hospital-!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Rey snarled, lashing out at Kuuga with each roar, sparks flying from their armor as the two riders clashed repeatedly "THAT OLD MAN ABANDONNED ME! HE GAVE MY BIRTHRIGHT TO THAT LITTLE PUNK TO SPITE ME!" he backhanded Kuuga across the floor "ON TOP OF THAT, THE LITTLE PUNK STOLE KARIN-CHAN FROM ME!"

"HE DID NOT!" Karin called out, the purple haired girl holding a hand to her chest in alarm as she watched the two clash with a desperate expression on her face "Winner-san! I told you before! We were always just F-!"

"SHUT UP!" Rey snarled, the dark Rider of Snow overpowering Kuuga, sending the silver and purple Rider flying through the air with a yelp of surprise "IF IT CAN'T BE ME, THEN I WON'T LET ANYONE HAVE YOU!"

"NO!" Kuuga yelled, the rider throwing himself between Rey and the women as the white rider launched a burst of magical hail from his belt, Fumio and Karin holding each other in alarm as Kuuga took the blows that would have killed them with his body.

"Shinji-kun!" Karin called out, a horrified fumio clapping both hands over her mouth with a gasp of horror, which wasn't helped when realized that Kuuga had been frozen in place from the knees down "Oh no!"

"DIE!" Rey snarled, the evil, brainwashed Rider leaping high into the air, his claws raised towards the ceiling as he came down on the trapped Rider from on high, ready to cleave him to shreds from head to toe.

"HAH!" Kuuga cried out, the silver and purple Rider spreading his arms wide as he threw his sword aside, a black aura washing over him, gold bolts of lightning washing over him as he shifted into the black armored Ultimate Form, Rey cursing as he was thrown out of the air by the surge of power, the ice holding Kuuga shattering as he clenched a fist.

Charging forwards with a yell, Ultimate Kuuga delivered a series of punishing kicks to Rey's chest, the white armored rider crying out in anger, backhanding the smaller rider savagely across the face, only to cry out in alarm as Karin and Fumio opened fire, the two of them glaring at the white Rider that had taken them hostage as sparks rose off his armor.

With a roar, Kuuga tackled the white rider, wrapping his arms around his waist as he charged, plowing through the wall and carrying on through, using Rey as a battering ram as he smashed the larger Rider against anything in his path.

"LET ME GO!" Rey howled, his cries of pain intermingled with the sounds of crashing rubble, only to yelp as Kuuga did so, the black rider grabbing him by the throat, before punching him right in the stomach, throwing him across the wrecked hallway like a ragdoll.

"Winner-san…" Ultimate Kuuga called out, the black, Ultimate Warrior standing tall and proud over the white Rider, looking on impassively as Rey tried to scramble to his feet "Please…surrender…"

"I…won't…" Rey gasped, the larger Rider climbing awkwardly to his feet, his legs splayed as he leant against the wall for support, breath haggard and coming in short gasps "I…will have…my revenge…"

"Revenge isn't everything…" Kuuga muttered, the Ultimate Warrior gazing at the deluded older Rider with a look of pity and understanding "I know…better than anyone…it just leaves you feeling empty…and alone…"

"SHUT UP!" Rey snarled, rearing his head back with a snarl, his clawed arms spread wide as he rushed the black rider "I'LL KILLYOU!"

Kuuga sighed, bringing up his right fist, which glowed with a fierce golden power, the Ultimate Warrior stepping forwards, under the crazed slash of his white opponent, delivering a savage punch to the waist, Rey Kibat crying out in alarm as he was smashed into oblivion, Kuuga's fist continuing to bury itself in Rey's gut.

The White Rider staggered, choking, his armor shattering in a flurry of snowflakes, revealing a battered and bleeding Winner Sinclair, his wide brimmed hat gone, and his eyes gaping wildly over Kuuga's shoulder, the golden light vanishing. "Karin…chan…" he called out, eyes locked on the concerned features of Karin Maaka as she and Fumio raced up to the duo, before slumping, his body going limp from the blow as he collapsed against Kuuga, who grabbed him, holding the taller teen close to keep him from falling.

"He's fine…" the black clad Rider assured the women, setting Winner down on the floor, supporting his head gently as he checked the younger Sinclair over for any permanent or serious injuries, Rider armour only offered so much protection after all, ESPECIALLY against other Riders "I just knocked him out…"

"Thank goodness." Karin sighed, the purple haired girl wiping the tears stains from her face in relief "Winner-san isn't a bad guy…" she insisted "I don't know what happened to make him like this, but I'm glad he's okay…"

"I think Victor would agree with you." Kuuga agreed, smiling as he recalled the old man waiting for them back at Café Julian, only to grimace as dust fell from the ceiling, the castle trembling all around them "C'mon…" he muttered, tossing Winner over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes "We gotta get out of here!"

* * *

_Throne Room..._

"You rocky bastard!" Proto-Ixa snarled, the prototype Rider slamming the Gargoyle Legendorgas' face into the armrest of Arc's throne repeatedly, before throwing the stone monster to the floor, slotting in a Fuestle "It's time to return those lives you stole to God!"

**"IXA-KNUCKLE-RISE-UP!"** His Belt declared, Proto-Ixa charging forwards, ramming his Knuckle into the Gargoyle's chest, actually lifting the monster off the ground before firing a point-blank blast of super charged energy right through it, the monster exploding into dust with a scream of agony.

**"IXA-CALIBUR-RISE-UP!" **Kenta's belt declared, the modern day Ixa's Calibur charging up as the image of a sun rose behind him, Shusei's son yelling out as he slashed through the Mandrake Legendorgas, who screamed as he was literally burned alive, before exploding into mulch.

"You bastards!" the Mummy snarled, the last, and mightiest of Arc's servants lashing out with his bandages, grabbing the father and son and slamming them together, before hurling them away from one another, charging towards Ixa with a snarl "I'll destroy you all!"

"No!" Proto-Ixa yelled, leaping to his feet and tackling the monster before it could get within three feet of his son, cursing as the mummy grabbed him by the visor, it's eyes lighting up as it blasted him with dark energy.

"Dad!" Ixa called out, looking on in horror as his father's screams of agony tore through the hall, only to blink as Decade came in, delivering a kick to the monster's side, sending it flying away from Proto-Ixa, who collapsed, his Save-Mode Helmet sparking and damaged, but intact.

"You're getting slow old man." Decade chided, the Passing-Through Rider's tone filled with good natured mockery as he drew a card from his Ride Booker, "Just sit back and leave this to the next generation!"

**"Final Attack Ride:…"** the Decadriver announced, Lelouch pushing the levers together as the belt chimed once again **"D-D-D-DECADE!"**

Nine holographic panels appeared between Decade and the Mummy, who was staggering back to his feet, the green eyed rider rushing forwards, passing through each panel as he went, his Ridebooker held at the ready as he brought it across in a one-two slash, the Mummy letting out a roar of defeat as he exploded, sending dust the scent of scorched papyrus into the air.

"Hope I don't get cursed for this…" Decade joked, dusting off his hands after re-attaching the Ridebooker to his hip, before turning to face the father-son duo, quirking his head "You alright there, old man?"

"Call me old one more time and you'll find out…" Proto-Ixa growled, though it was a good natured one as he leant on his son's shoulder for support "Forget about me…we gotta rescue Fumio and the girl!"

"Lelouch-san!" a voice called out, the trio of Riders turning to the entryway just in time to see Kuuga rushing into the throne room, an unconscious Winner slung over his shoulder, Fumio and Karin racing in at his heels.

"Now that's service!" Proto-Ixa cheered, the Prototype Rider standing up straighter as Fumio ran up to him, massive arms coming round to embraxce her, a smiel awaiting her as she removed his helmet "Hey there pretty lady."

"Shu-chan…" Fumio responded, Kenta's mother looking up at the father of her child as if in wonderment, eyes tearing up as she hugged her time-displaced lover with a sob, so happy to see him, after everything that had happened.

"I'm here…" Shusei muttered, stroking the woman's hair soothingly, his hard features softening to an almost gentle smile as they stood in the ruined throne room, heedless of the embarrassed stares Kenta and Karin were sending them.

"As mentally scaring as this must be for your teenage son…" Decade called out, his tone wry as the two leapt apart guiltily, smirking inside his helmet "Has anyone seen where the Kivas and Tall Dark and Gruesome disappeared to?"

A roar, seemingly emanating from BENEATH Hell's Castle, shook the entirety of the structure, the group staggering to remain upright as the ceiling continued to collapse on them. "Damn!" Decade cursed, the world-travelling rider seizing command with a glare as he rounded on the others "Everyone outside! Haul ass! Move!"

"You heard the man!" Shusei roared, the Proto-Ixa, still lacking his damaged helmet, scooping up a flushing Fumio in his arms and racing out the archway, Ixa grabbing Karin by the hand and leading her out, as Decade and Kuuga brought up the rear, a comatose Winner in tow.

Behind them, the throne room of Hell's Castle collapsed in on itself, as it's lord and master proceeded to rip out the very foundations in his bid to rid himself of the Kiva line.

* * *

_In the Bowls of Hells' Castle..._

"WAKE UP!" Kibat announced, flying around blowing on a fuestle as Kiva's right 'sealed hell's' leg rose in the air, the chains sealing it shattering, revealing crimson wings, with three gems set along the boot.

With a yell, the Dark Rider leapt forwards, aiming to land a direct kick into Arc's face, only for the King of the Legendorga to punch out, his fist connecting with the half-vampire's attack, sending him flying back into the wall.

"Bitch please…" Arc growled, not even mildly inconvenienced by the attack, bringing both hands over his head, intending to smash the half-vampire into the ground, only to howl as Dark Kiva came flying in, Kibat's father announcing "WAKE UP: ONE!" to the sound of organ music, the Lord of Castle Doran punching Arc across his face with a savage right hook, sending him staggering back under the blow.

"On your feet, Tsukune!" Dark Kiva commanded, the Queen of all Vampires dropping down next to her chosen champion as Arc staggered back onto his feet with a snarl "Do you intend to let your master fight alone?"

"No, Moka-san!" Kiva countered, the half-vampire letting out a growl as he drew a green fuestle from his belt and slotted it in. "BASHAA MAGNUM!" Kibat declared, blowing a short tune, like a trumpet solo, as a green idol flashed through the air, Kiva grabbing it as Fanfan's power flowed through him, his right arm gaining green, scale-like armor and a webbed shoulder guard, even as his Omnilens turned green.

"You little bitch!" Arc cursed, only to roar as several high preassure blasts of water struck him in the face, blinding him and knocking him off balance, long enough for Dark Kiva to drop-kick him between the eyes, causing him to stumble backwards against one of the cave walls "WHY YOU!"

"WAKE UP: 2!" Kibat the 2nd declared, Dark Kiva unleashing the Kiva crest to hold Arc in place, the Lord of the Legendorgas screaming as the emerald crest caused him tremendous pain, before launching at him, green energy blades forming at her feet as she kicked him through the wall and out the other side.

"After him!" the lord of Castle Doran declared, charging through the hole alongside Kiva, even as the cave fell in behind them, the entire mountain Hell's Castle rested on beginning to shake as it's foundation fell in on itself.

* * *

_Outside..._

"HOLY SHIT!" Shusei roared, the helmetless Proto-Ixa running full tilt, holding a highly startled Fumio close to his chest as he cleared the gate of Hell's Castle like a championship pitcher going for a home run slide "What the hell's going on?"

"We did go a bit crazy in there dad…" Ixa pointed out, leading Karin out by the hand, as Decade and Kuuga slid through the gate like something out of an Indy movie, the black rider yelping as he narrowly avoided becoming pancake.

"SAFE!" Kuuga cheered, the Ultimate Warrior pumping a fist energetically in the air, only to glare pointedly at the slumbering form of Winner in his arms as the blonde snored "Good grief, how long's this guy going to sleep?"

"Karin-chwa~n…" Winner moaned, the former vampire hunter and Ixa's original user leaning forwards, his arms wrapping around Kuuga's neck like serpents, pulling him upwards as he tried to kiss the mortified Rider's faceplate.

"NOOO!" Kuuga yelped, struggling to hold the, surprisingly strong, human back, while the others looked on in stunned wonderment and, in Karin's case, embarassment "LELOUCH-SAN! KENTA-SAN! SHUSEI-SAN! DASKETE!"

"Why do I keep him with me?" Decade muttered, holding his elbow as he rubbed his brow, massaging a headache, even as Ixa and Shusei pulled Winner off the traumatized rider. At that moment, an explosion off to the side drew their attention to the battle between Arc and the two Kiva "Shinji, get the others out of here." He ordered, already moving to slide down the side of the cliff "I'm gonna put a stop to this."

"I'll help!" Kenta insisted, the White Rider stepping forward with a determined exporession beneath his mask, only to blink as Decade held up a finger, the Passing-Through Kamen Rider waving it back and forth in a 'tsk' gesture.

"This is the grand finale…" Decade countered his amusement evident as he turned to look at the white rider over his shoulder "For such an occasions, a quartet is more than enough." He inclined his head towards Karin "Besides…you have your hands full getting them out of here."

Ixa blinked, seeing the logic in the green-eyed rider's words, before nodding, watching him slide down the side of the cliff towards the battle with a grim expression beneath his helmet.

"Good luck…Decade…"

* * *

_Battlefield..._

"DIE!" Arc roared, loosing a series of laser blasts from the gem adorning his helmet, Kiva and Dark Kiva running through the flames, their stance mirroring one another as they leapt straight towards the Lord of the Legendorgas, punching him in the face with left and right hooks respectively, sending him crashing onto his ass from the force of the blow, the Riders landing in a crouch, ready for anything as the monster slowly climbed to his feet, reaching out to the moon.

"Power…" Arc called out, the two Kiva tensing as a tentacled shadow formed over the moon, a massive eye opening in it's center as it looked down on them from the face of earth's solitary satellite "Give me power…!"

**"WAKE UP!"** Arc-Kibat declared, the littlem mechanical bat blowing on his fuestle, the chains that bound Arc's chest plate shattering, revealing a gaping maw, which seemed to suck darkness in from the surrounding area.

"GIVE ME THE LAST REMAINING POWER OF THE LEGENDORGAS!" Arc roared, his fists raised at his sides, roaring loudly as the darkness seemed to suck the very moon towards them, Kiva and Dark Kiva racing themselves as they watched Hell's Castle fall, the magical power that reconstructed it draining away, causing the ruins to collapse in on themselves once more.

All around them, affected by the moon's change in orbit, the very forces of nature rebelled, typhoon s and waterspouts forming, the earth shaking beneath the gravitational preassure as the sky darkened.

Overhead, the moon hung, a giant, menacing golden orb, upon which their latched a dark stain, set with a giant, multi-colored eye that was locked onto the howling form of Arc.

"Man knows how to put on a show…" A voice noted, the two Kiva turning to find Decade jogging up to them, the green eyed Rider's eyes on the skyline "I have to admit…I wasn't expecting him to moon us though."

"Your bizarre sense of humor is ill suited, human." Dark Kiva muttered, though Decade and Kiva caught the snort of grudging amusement in the vampire's tone "Still, this does not bode well…does he mean to destroy the whole world?"

As if to answer her question, the dark mass detached from the moon and lunged, Arc's howls escalating as it shoved itself into the maw on his chest.

"Okay…gross…" Decade muttered, the Passing Through Rider grimacing beneath his helmet as the Lord of the Legendorgas' spasms and screams increased overhead "Lung cancer aside...that CAN'T be good."

"You have a talent for stating the obvious…" Dark Kiva muttered, the three riders bracing themselves as Arc's struggles stilled, the Lord of the Legendorgas turning to face them, the full moon shining behind him as the shadows spread out from his back, forming the skeletal structure of large wings, like the framework for a stained glass mural, only for them to fill with flames, a second set of muscular arms appearing as the wings flapped, the flames igniting a shockwave, the giant eye blinking on Arc's chest as Arc Kibat's face fell off, revealing the mechanical structure underneath with a cry of "GO TO HELL!"

"Well…at least he's direct about it…" Decade muttered, the trio sweatdropping at the seemingly cheerful automaton's sudden change in attitude, only to scatter, leaping out of the way as Ark swooped in, one fiery arm raking the ground beneath him, leaving a flaming trench in his wake as he swooped back into the sky.

* * *

_As Arc passes..._

"Moka-sama!" Kibat the 3rd declared, the younger scion of the Kibat line looking towards his masterdesperately, even as his half-vampire partner got back on his feet with a grunt "We need reinforcements!"

"Understood," Dark Kiva growled, the Queen of the Vampires not liking being hedged in like this anymore than the mechanical bat, reaching down to her belt and placing a fuestle between his father's teeth.

**"CASTLE DORAN!"** Kibat the 2nd declared, a low tone, like an ominous foghorn, sounding from the deceptively small whiustle, even as Ark came by for another pass, launching fireballs at them from his wings.

The fireballs were shot down by larger ones, the trio looking on as Castle Doran, the living ancestral home of the Vampires, rose over the mountainside, roaring defiance as it's turrets transformed into magical cannons, blasting away at this latest threat it's master had summoned it to deal with.

Arc roared, flitting around this new nuisance, launching fireballs as he passed. But the great wyvern shrugged them aside with an annoyed roar, and returned fire with equal vigor.

"Shoo-chan!" Kibat the 3rd called out, Decade blinking, following Kiva's gaze to gape as a miniature Doran, red in color and shaped like a windmill, stuck its head out of a nearby lake "This is no time for lollygagging! We need your help, COME HERE!"

With a cry, the little dragon rose out of the water, propellers spinning audibly as Dark Kiva leapt up to perch on top of it. "Need a lift?" Kiva asked, Decade shaking his head as they leapt up, latching onto the underside of Shoo-Doran, who carried them up to its parent's back, attaching itself on, awakening the full power of the great wyvern.

The battle was joined in earnest now, the three Riders clinging to the Roof of Doran as the Great Wyvern tore through the sky, launching fireballs and mystical blasts of energy at Arc, who weaved between most and deflected the rest. Doran might have been stronger, and could take more of a beating than the smaller Arc, but Arc was faster, and was landing more hits on the Great Wyvern, hits that were slowly taking their toll as Doran struggled to keep up the assault.

* * *

_Aboard Castle Doran..._

"Dammit!" Dark Kiva snarled, holding onto one of the roof steeples as she watched arc flap past, cackling madly all the while "If we could just pin that bastard in place!"

Decade blinked, looking down as the Ridebooker snapped open of it's own accord, three cards flying into his hand, exactly like they had in Kuuga's world, the green-eyed Rider smirking as an idea formed in his head. "Your wish is my command." He offered, slotting one of the cards into the Decadriver as Arc looped past once again.

**"Final Form Ride:…" **the Decadriver declared, Decade snapping the levers together once more, the device slipping back into position, even as a holographic display of the Kiva crest formed in front of it, the words Kibat Arrow beneath them **"K-K-K-KIVA!"**

"Tsukune…this is going to tickle a bit…" Decade noted, moving up behind the half vampire, only to pause as Tsukune turned to face him uncertainly "Turn around." he ordered, shoving the teen back into place, before sticking his hands into his back, spreading it open to reveal an upside down, giant Kibat.

"Wha-what's happening?" Tsukune yelped, even as he was flipped upside down, the giant Kibat now right side up and facing the front, as his legs turned into wings, an arrow in the shape of his sealed right leg forming atop the golden bat, as Decade reaching out to grab it by the handle as Dark Kiva looked on in surprise.

"What on earth?" the Lord of Castle Doran wondered, looking away from the startling transformation as Arc swooped in from on high, heading right for them "Never mind! If you're going to use that thing then hurry it up!"

"Relax…" Decade offered, the Passing-Through Rider holding up another card between thumb and forefinger before slotting it into the Decadriver "A true Maestro always gives the public what they want."

**"Final Attack Ride: K-K-K-KIVA!"** the Decadriver declared as Decade turned, aiming the Kiva Arrow so that Arc was between them and the moon, grunting as he drew the drawstring back with an audible strain, the Silver section that resembled Kiva's Sealed Hell's Leg beginning to shine. **"Kivatte…"** Kibat cried out, the chains binding the arrow shattering, revealing the red wings and green gems of Kiva's Hell's Leg **"IKUZE!"**

"FLY!" Decade yelled, loosing the drawstring, the Kiva Arrow Flying from it's bow, Arc pulling up short in alarm, the arrow piercing him right through the eye, his howl of anguish tearing through the sky as the crimson bolt carried him back, pinning him against the golden moon like the world's largest, ugliest butterfly.

"Not bad…" Dark Kiva noted, the Queen of all Vampires walking up alongside Decade as he released the Kibat-bow, which reverted back to regular Kiva, who shook himself "Though you should have aimed for his head."

"I thought you'd like to finished this up with a flair…" Decade noted offhandedly, reaching for the Ridebooker once again, this time drawing the card with his own golden Crest "a last curtain call if you will."

"You thought right." Dark Kiva agreed, the true heir to the line of Kiva's tone laced with dark amusement, even as she nodded towards her champion, the two of them readying their respective Fuestles.

**"Final Attack Ride:…"** the Decadriver declared, even as both Kiva slotted their fuestle into their respective Kibat, father and son calling out **"WAKE UP/ WAKE UP: 2!" **in tandem as the seals on Kiva's leg shattering and the emerald Kiva Crest formed behind Ark, covering the face of the Golden Moon **"D-D-D-DECADE!"**

With a yell, Decade leapt forwards, flanked on either side by the Kivas, flying through the ten holographic panels which bore his crest towards the struggling form of Arc, all three of their Rider Kicks connecting with the Lord of the Legendorgas, who howled, his power raging wildly, only to shatter, the Kiva crest carving into the Moon's face from the force of the blow, Decade's symbol positioned in the center.

As Arc's screams and power faded, the darkness faded away, the moon slowly retreating back into it's proper orbit as the three riders landed in a crouch in the middle of the city, looking up as it finally returned to normal…save for the crests, which could still be seen from earth.

"That's odd…" Kibat muttered, the mechanical bat looking up at the moon in alarm, an emotion shared by his father and their respective partners "Normally the Crest should vanish after an attack is finished!"

"What can I say…" Decade scoffed, the green-eyed rider smirking under his helmet as he stared up at his crest, which was positioned in the center of the Kiva crest, as they shone down on the earth from on high "It looks like I left an impression on this world after all…"

* * *

_Atop a skyscraper..._

Unbeknownst to Decade and his comrades, a masked figure was glaring down at him from atop a skyscraper, his cloak billowing around him like wings as he watched the Destroyer laugh off his defacing of the Earth Satellite.

"Looks like he's survived again…" a voice chirped, laced with amusement as a little mechanical bat, much smaller than any Kibat before, fluttered around him, her tone coy, laced with amusement "He truly is as strong as you said he was…"

"Decade…" he muttered, his voice laced with anger as the Destroyer slung his arms over Kiva's in a companionable gesture, Dark Kiva merely crossing her arms with a snort of bemusement "You truly are the devil…" he shook his head in disdain "or at the very least, you have more than your fair share of his luck…"

"You can always try again…" the silver bat pointed out, only to sigh as the masked man left, disappearing into the shadows, already making preparations to bring the destroyer's journey to a halt in the next world "Oooooh…I do so love it when he does that…"

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Miles away from the city, the ruins of Hell's castle lay scattered, with no hope of ever being restored, as Arc had summoned even the residual magic that had allowed it to pull itself together and hide itself from human eyes over the centuries.

As such, while the heroes retreated, leaving the destroyed castle to it's gruesome fate, nobody was there to notice as a tall a figure in a baseball cap strolled through the ruins, shifting through the rubble, humming as it tossed pillars and collapsed walls aside with one hand, the other holding a metal attaché case.

"Gotta be around here somewhere…" the figure muttered, muttering to itself as it skidded down the side of a lump of stone, only to grin, kneeling down, setting the attaché case to the side as it picked up a mechanical figure by it's wings.

"Hey there little Guy…" it greeted, smiling down at the dazed form of Arc Kibat, who had somehow survived it's master's destruction, though had clearly seen better days "They really roughed you up…" the figure noted, only to grin, opening the attaché case to reveal the blackened, ruined frame of Rey Kibat stored inside "But don't you worry…I always take good care of my treasure…"

* * *

And so this little piece of chaos comes to a close.

Lelouch: Thank God.

Shinji: Who's that guy with the cap?

Hikari: Looks like the Kaito of the series...

Lelouch: So help me if it's Schniezel-!

Shinji: Why would it be Schniezel?

Lelouch: He's going around swiping weird things, Schniezel JACKS OFF to that stuff.

Hikari: LAMPEROUGE-SAN! You shouldn't say things like that! People may taker offense!

Lelouch: I just 'Rider Kicked' the moon back into orbit, you think I care about a little hate mail?

Kyugan: QUIET! Reviews are my bread and butter!

Next Time, on Code: Decade...

_A crissis Averted..._

Shinji: That was AMAZING Lelouch-San!

_Harmony Restored..._

Lelouch: I take it you accepted your mother's decisions?

_New Beginings..._

Yuriya: I can't believe they're clapping so hard...for me...

_And Farewells..._

Shusei: Looks like it's time to go...

Kenta: DAD!

Fumio: SHU-CHAN!

_Cruel Reality..._

Hikari: It isn't fair...

_Can often be Changed..._

Watanuki: You look like you have something you want to ask me?

Lelouch: you say you grant wishes here...Right?

_Yet Every Wish..._

Lelouch: No! Not this! Don't take her from me! Not again-!

_Has a Price..._

Multiple Voices: There Can Only Be ONE.

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	15. Intermission: Curtain Call

And So Kiva's world draws to a close, with no apparent side effects.

Hikari: No Side Effects? Look at the moon!

Ghost Nappa: It looks...so sad...

Kyugan: Have you been looking up Online meme again?

GN: No...cat?

Lelouch: Ugh...as if he wasn't annoying before...

Kyugan: One does not simply **FINAL ATTACK RIDE** through the gates of Mordor my friend.

Lelouch:...I LOATHE you.

Kyugan: I know.

* * *

Intermission: Curtain Call.

It took less than a day for those afflicted by the baptism of the Legendorgas to revert to normal in the wake of Arc's destruction. Those who'd been infected claimed to have no memory as to what had occurred, and the general public was quite content to leave things that way. It was simply admirable, how the human race, as a whole, could effectively recover from such an ordeal by pretending it never happened. Sort of like the Bush administration, only with less casualties.

Of course, like said administration, there were SOME things which just couldn't be brushed aside, like the fact there was now a VERY interesting statement stamped on the face of the moon, not to mention the numerous unfortunates that had lost their lives.

Still, the following day found Kurenai Academy for the gifted open once more, the Nature Festival in full swing, as the various clubs performed in an attempt to take everyone's minds off the crisis, even if only for a little while.

The sports clubs were having a field day, the various teams competing against one another to see who could draw in the most support.

In contrast, the quieter clubs, such as shogi, chess and those pertaining to literature and the arts, were filled with reverent silence, as their assorted prodigies wielded their craft before various masters, judges and critics, more than a few some of the students attracting the eye of famed masters of their craft, which would boost club morale.

The astrology club, in particular, were having a field day, having actually opened up the giant telescope on campus to the public, so that everyone could get a good look at the Kiva and Decade crests which even in the day were visible on the moon's face, several prominent scientists already getting into an argument over it, as they were wont to do.

Was it a naturally occurring phenomenon? Was it normally hidden on the other face of the moon? Or was it a side effect of whatever the hell had happened the last few days, some latent warning that those monsters would return?

The few 'monsters' in the crowd however, eyed the crest with a look of racial pride, as it meant that Kiva, the vampire King, had once again made the world safer for Humans and monsters to coexist. Though for the Fangires in attendance, it was an all to clear reminder that their ancient enemy was still alive and kicking, and if they weren't careful, THEY'D be the ones being kicked, and so decided to lay back on the attacks on humans…for now.

And really, what would be the point in killing off humanity? It was really so much easier to blend in and watch from the shadows, helping to push the hairless apes to new levels, only revealing themselves when the hunger grew too great. And besides, as much as it pained the more traditional members of either side to admit it, life without humans, as a whole, would be so excessively dull.

Some of the less…intimidating monsters had even opted to walk around campus in their true forms, mingling in with the students in costumes, ranging from dramatic and historical figures, to furry mascots for the kids, and generally having a great time.

Though a certain bear found himself in hot water when he paid TOO much attention to a little girl that turned out to be a witch. Needless to say, the academy found itself the dubious recipient of a slightly charred bearskin rug.

Amidst all this excitement, the sound of a violin duet echoed across the grounds, guest and students alike finding themselves lulled into a sense of ease as they stopped to listen to the wonderful music, many of them dropping what they were doing to seek out the source.

The sound emanating from the local auditorium, which was jam packed with faculty, students, and guests that had booked in advance, including the school's founder, the famed musician Otoya Kurenai, who was sitting in the front row, an approving smile on his face as he listened to the performance, a beaming Nekonome on one side, and the principal on the other.

From the sounds of things, the principal was trying to encourage the great musician to increase his sponsorship of the academy, something he'd refused to do since the musical club had fallen into disuse. It was doubtful whether Otoya heard him however, as the man was lost in the music, and didn't care to listen to the simpering old man in either case.

Now if Nekonome were the one doing the asking, then she'd have had his undivided attention, as it were, the cat-woman was as lost in the music as Otoya was.

Up on the stage, dressed in his Tuxedo once more, was Lelouch, the purple eyed teen playing alongside Yuriya Tachibana, the bespectacled daughter of Yuri dressed in a marvelous black satin dress, her hair running down her back, making her resemblance to her mother all the stronger.

The two of them were giving a live concert in order to promote the music club, their movements perfect synchronized as they stroked the strings in harmony, their features lost in their own beautiful music, ignorant of the adoring gazes sent their way.

"Sugoi…!" Hikari breathed, the freckled girl clasping her hands together as she sat in the front row, along with Shinji, Tsukune, Moka, and the assembled WBS members, including Shusei and Fumio, who were leaning against one another, and a recovered Winner, whose eyes were locked on the stage, more specifically Yuriya, with amazement.

"Beautiful…" the young Sinclair whispered, though whether he was talking about the music, or one of the musicians, was anyone's guess, his grandfather hiding a knowing smirk as he tilted his hat over his eyes as the duo brought their song to an end, bowing in return to a standing ovation from the audience, the curtain coming down to hide them.

* * *

_ After the performance..._

"That was amazing, Lelouch!" Shinji exclaimed, the last Ikari rushing onto the stage with the others, having permission to come on stage after the curtain dropped "You totally filled the house!"

"It's a talent…" Lelouch noted, the elder rider loosening his shirt collar with a smirk, ignoring the rolled eyes of the younger rider as he turned to look at a flushed Yuriya "So, I take it you've accepted your mother's decisions?"

"Y-yes…" the bespectacled young woman admitted, hugging her violin to her chest as she listened to the applause from the audience "I can't believe they're clapping so loud…for me…"

"Believe it kid…" Shusei muttered, the scarred, time displaced Rider smirking down at the girl as he and Fumio walked up "You got more than just your mom's pretty face…you also inherited all of her talent too…"

"T-thank you…" Yuriya blushed, even as Fumio yanked on Shusei's scarred ear for flattering a younger woman, the scarred man whimpering in agony as their son looked on with an embarrassed, exasperated expression "I…I couldn't have done it without you all."

"All you needed was a little encouragement." Lelouch countered, the world-traveler patting the bespectacled girl on the shoulder with a reassuring smile "The talent was always yours, you simply needed to accept your mother's decision and move on."

"Lamperouge-sensei…" the young woman stuttered, looking down at her shoes in embarrassment, even as Hikari fumed, her eyebrows twitching at Lelouch's playboy manner, a bemused Shinji rolling his eyes, Karin and Fumio averting their respective men's gazes with mutually fierce blushes "T-thank you-!"

"There she is!" a voice called out, the group turning to find Otoya Kurenai, violin case in one hand, and a bouquet of flowers in the other, sauntering towards them like a fool in springtime, the Principal and Nekonome sensei at his heels "Ah, Yuriya-chan," the man exclaimed, extending the bouquet to the young woman before clasping a hand over his heart dramatically "you truly are your mother's child!"

"E-eh?" Yuriya blinked, startled at the arrival of this strange, brightly dressed older man, though he looked rather good for his age, even as she struggled awkwardly to hold the bouquet, her violin in the way "You knew my mother?"

"Knew her?" Otoya repeated, sighing dramatically as he threw his arms wide "She was my protégé! The finest violinist I ever helped create!" he smiled and inclined his head in false-modesty "Other than myself of course…"

'Modest isn't he…' the onlookers muttered, sweatdropping as Otoya continued to ramble on about Yuri Tachibana, and how he'd supposedly fallen for her 'charms', only to blink, their eyes widening in alarm as Shusei began to glow, slowly disappearing from the feet up.

"Looks like it's time to go…" Kenta's father muttered, looking down at his glittering form with a sigh, smirking at Kenta as the teen ran up to him, eyes wide "Chin up kid, I dunno where I've been this whole time," he scowled darkly "Probably serving time thanks to that asshole Kankichi," he grinned once again "but you'll see me soon enough."

"B-but DAD!" Kenta exclaimed, too choked up with emotion to tell the man he'd NEVER see him again, not unless he had to travel back in time, and even then, there was the chance Shusei'd never remember him.

"No tears now!" Shusei admonished, glaring at his son, before easing up "S'not the best thing to do in front of your girl." He turned to Fumio "I really am the luckiest son of a bitch to have married you Fumi-chan."

"Shu-chan…" Fumio breathed, her hands covering her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks, throwing her arms around the neck of the man she loved, but had never married, Shusei returning the hug with a smile as he slowly faded out of existence, until only a few golden particles hovered in the air.

"Ara?" Otoya wondered, the musical prodigy looking around in alarm, the Principal staggering under Nekonome's weight, the cat woman having leapt into his arms with a cry of 'GHOST!' as Shusei vanished "Did I just miss something?" he shrugged, "Ah well, I'm sure it wasn't important. Now about your scholarship, Yuriya-chan…"

* * *

_ As the Usui's leave..._

"It isn't right…" Hikari muttered, the freckled class rep watching as Kenta and Karin escorted the teen's mother out of the auditorium. The poor woman was in no fit state to be seen in public, nor did she wish to, not while she was bawling her eyes out.

"Usui-san…" Shinji noted, watching Kenta's retreating back, which seemed knotted and hunched, as if the teen was moving with the weight of the world on his shoulders "it isn't right that it ends like this."

"No…it isn't…" Lelouch agreed, the elder teen's purple eyes narrowing as he watched the trio leave through a side exit, which led to the car park, where Victor and Winner would be waiting to escort them home.

For some reason he couldn't fathom, Lelouch felt a bizarre sense of kinship with the Usui family, as if somehow, on some obscure level, the purple-eyed teen understood the pain of losing someone he loved.

'Impossible…' he muttered, shaking his head with a frown as he turned to look at Shinji and Hikari, who were chatting amongst themselves 'I only just met them recently…they're friends yes, comrades certainly.' He frowned as he recalled the battles he'd fought alongside Shinji 'But love? Familial love? Not possible.'

Still, Lelouch couldn't get the image of a woman's smile, framed by pink hair, and a girl's laugh, filled with love and devotion, out of his head.

"Lamperouge-sensei…" Yuriya called out, snapping Lelouch out of his thoughts as he turned to face the bespectacled young woman to find her standing next to Otoya Kurenai, who had his violin out "I was wondering…" Yuriya began shyly, looking into Lelouch's purple eyes imploringly "would you mind playing my mother's song again? As part of a trio?"

"To think someone else would revive Yuri-chan's legacy through song…" Otoya announced, the great musician inclining his head to the younger man "I'd tip my hat to you sir, if I owned one of course."

'This guy just loves to hear himself talk…' Lelouch muttered, ignoring the older man in favor of smiling at Yuriya "I'd be honored…" he agreed, nodding to Shinji and Hikari, who quickly made themselves scarce as the three musicians walked back on stage.

As the curtain rose, Yuriya stood between the two men, the three of them bowing to the audience, whose applause slowly petered off as the trio, as one, raised their instruments to their chins, and set their bows against the strings.

For the next hour, Yuri Tachibana's soul soothing melody drifted through the halls of Kurenai Academy, reaching out to all those with troubles in their hearts, and those who yearned for memories of a better life.

* * *

_Later..._

"Well…that's another world under my belt…" Lelouch noted, the purple-eyed teen smirking to himself as he walked along the street, bouquet in one hand, violin case in the other, Shinji and Hikari bringing up the rear "And with no negative side effects!"

"No side effects?" Shinji muttered, the last Ikari looking up at the moon, the combined crests of Kiva and Decade all the more visible in the evening sky "What do you call that then?"

"Leaving my mark on society?" Lelouch chuckled, smirking up at the moon proudly, only to jolt as Hikari jabbed her thumb into his neck "Pffft-HAHAHAHAHAHA-!"

"This isn't a laughing matter Lamperouge-san!" the freckled class rep insisted, huffing as Lelouch collapsed on his knees, cackling madly, placing her hands on her hips "What if you've messed up the environment?"

"Y-you little…" Lelouch managed out between cackles, glaring up at the girl as Shinji shook his head at their antics "Is this the thanks I get for saving a world?"

"Ease up you two…" Shinji, ever the peacemaker, insisted, the last Ikari interposing himself between the two "What's done is done, and Hikari, the scientists even said that the environmental damages all occurred BEFORE Lelouch, Tsukune-kun and Moka-san launched their final attack "If anything, Lelouch fixed everything when they kicked the moon back into orbit."

"You see?" Lelouch asked, smirking at the pouting class rep, who didn't much like being on the receiving end of a lecture "I wouldn't be surprised if they gave me the key to the city…"

"YOU!" a voice roared, Lelouch turning just in time to be grabbed by his jacket lapels, an irate officer Kankichi Ryotsu, crew-cut and ratty sandals and all, glaring in his face "You bastard!" the irate officer roared "I've been looking for you for 22 years! Because of the hell you kicked up, they shunted me down from HQ to a ratty little police box!"

"Ryo-chan matte!" a tall, buxom, brunette policewoman called out, placing a restraining hand on the older officer's wrist "There has to be a mistake! This boy's only a teenager!"

"Eh?" Ryotsu blinked, looking at Lelouch, who fought to keep from scowling irately at the annoying flatfoot "Er…sorry lad…" he offered, releasing the teen with a bow "You just looked so much like this other guy I knew…lost me a real cushy job at HQ."

"But if that's true, then if he hadn't, we never would have met you Ryo-chan!" the brunette insisted, hugging the suddenly flushing cop close, his cheek pressing against her cleavage, much to Lelouch's bemusement, and Shinji and Hikari's joint embarrassment.

"Well I suppose that's true…" Ryotsu muttered, shaking his head as he freed himself from her hold "Sorry to bother you lad, just steer clear of this lot, it's supposed to be haunted."

"Ryo-chan I'm telling you there was a shop here!" the brunette insisted, walking off alongside her obvious crush, leaving the trio staring after them, having apparently been led back to Watanuki's shop.

"I swear this place moves around…" Lelouch muttered, glaring at the gateposts, which weren't there a second prior, in disdain, before marching through them, Hikari and Shinji following his lead, the three of them making their way round the back, where Watanuki was once again smoking his pipe.

"Welcome, back…" the bespectacled storekeeper greeted, his youthful features surrounded, as always, by wafting pipe smoke "Decade-kun, Shinji-kun, Hikari-chan."

"Yo," Lelouch greeted, the Passing-Through-Rider walking up to the steps of the store, standing before the teen, his hands in his pockets, as he snorted wryly "No tea for us this time?"

"Maru and Moro are just keeping an eye on dinner." Watanuki admitted, smiling up at the purple-eyed rider with a smile "I told them to bring it out when they're finished." His smile deepened as he turned to look at Hikari and Shinji "Would you two mind going in and helping out?"

"Sure!" Hikari agreed, the freckled girl smiling confidently as she rolled up her sleeves, pumping her fist as she spoke "It isn't right to leave it all up to Maru-chan and Moro-chan!" she insisted, before turning to look expectantly at Shinji "C'mon, Ikari-kun!"

"Story of my life…" Shinji sighed, shaking his head in bemusement as he followed after Hikari at a sedate pace "New world, new home, I still have to make dinner."

"It's the fifth on the left!" Watanuki called out, smiling gratefully after the duo as they disappeared around the corner, before turning back to face Lelouch, his smile developing a strange, knowing quality that matched the look in his eyes. "In the meantime…" the storekeeper noted, leaning back on his arm "you look like you have something to ask me?"

* * *

_In the Garden..._

"You're a sharp one…" Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed teen smirking at the bespectacled storekeeper, even as Shinji and Hikari's footsteps receded into the store, his eyes boring into Watanuki's, all manner of humor absent, his face settling into a serious mask "You say you grant wishes here…right?"

"I do…" Watanuki replied, the storekeeper's smile as enigmatic as ever as he looked up at the purple eyed teen through a crowd of smoke, leaning back slightly on his left arm for support "provided, of course, that the client can afford the price."

"Yeah I know, this is a shop after all." Lelouch muttered, a hint of a smirk forming on his lips, only to vanish once again as he continued to match looks with the bespectacled teen "What I want to know is, what are the limits of this service?" he quirked an eyebrow "Or can you grant ANY wish?"

"I believe I told you once already." Watanuki pointed out, blowing smoke into the air, watching it curl around him idly "In exchange for the ability to grant any wish, I must in turn GRANT any wish, provided the toll is paid."

"I get it, Equivalent Exchange…" Lelouch muttered, nodding his head in understanding as he looked at the man "So I'm guessing a wish to revive the dead would require the life of the one that made the wish?"

"It would, if I granted such wishes." Watanuki admitted, his features solemn, his eyes deadly serious as they bored into Lelouch's "Such wishes are dangerous, for all parties involved. A human life carries a lot of weight, regardless of whether it is a good or evil life…" he gestured through the smoke, "One could say…it's an almost CRUSHING weight, one which no-one should take upon themselves lightly."

"Right…so no reviving the dead." Lelouch muttered, snorting lightly, though he was a little unnerved by the shopkeepers words, as if somehow, he knew all to well what such a weight felt like, "What about altering an event that led up to their death?"

"Such a thing would break the laws of time and space…" Watanuki pointed out, his tone less serious than earlier, but still decidedly firm "It could have irreparable changes on the time stream. And besides, it usually amounts to naught, if they are fated to die, they will die. Such is Hitsuzen."

"All humans are fated to die." Lelouch countered, patting himself on the chest "I know that all to well, though somehow I've been given another shot…such as it is." He smirked at the teen "However, just because their GOING to die, doesn't mean they have to die THEN and THERE."

"Ah…" Watanuki smiled, and here his eyes danced with a hint of mischief "It seems you're catching on…it is undoubtedly true that all men must die eventually…however, I've learned that Hitsuzen can be delayed with THAT particular Loop Hole." He smiled at the teen "So…your wish?"

"One more question before we get to that." Lelouch insisted, holding up a hand "What if you're making a wish for someone else?" he asked "A wish you know they'd ask for if they had the chance? Do you get a discount?"

"It's not uncommon…" Watanuki admitted, a flash of some distant emotion crossing his features ever so slightly "However, the only times such a wish has been granted, it usually exacts a toll on the wisher, equivalent to what it might bestow upon the recipient." He smirked "And sorry, no discounts."

"Story of my life…" Lelouch muttered, shaking his head in exasperation, only to sigh explosively, smirking to himself as he looked up at the bespectacled storekeeper "Well alright then, let's do this."

"You're absolutely certain?" Watanuki asked, the storekeeper looking up at the purple eyed teen in concern "I can hazard a guess as to whom you're trying to save, but is it worth the price? After all, you only met them for a short time…"

"It doesn't matter how short the time I knew them was." Lelouch countered, shaking his head dismissively "The fact is I DO know them, and can understand their pain…" he paused, lifting a hand to his left eye, "I don't know why…but I understand the pain of losing someone you care about…and being powerless to stop it."

"I see…" Watanuki murmured, and Lelouch thought he saw a flash of regret in the storekeepers eyes, only for him to sigh, setting his pipe aside before standing up and walking over so that he was five feet away from Lelouch "Then let's begin."

Abruptly, a seal array flashed into life beneath the Lelouch, the teen's head snapping back with a yell as electricity arched all over him, his eyes showing all whites as his limbs jerked and spasmed in their invisible restraints.

* * *

_Inside Lelouch's mind..._

It was hauntingly similar to the process he'd experienced passing through the gate, only this time, he wasn't being pulled apart one molecule at a time and put back together however the denizens of that dark, heartless world saw fit.

No, this time his mind felt like it was a sieve, scenes flashing before his eyes like filmstrips, overlaid on top of one another, the sounds meshing together until they were indistinguishable.

He saw a woman in a purple dress, sitting on a garden chair while reading a book, she turned, and he had the feeling she smiled at him, but her face, and that of the surroundings, slowly disappeared in a rusty haze.

He saw the back of a wheelchair, his vision drawing closer until he saw it's occupant, a girl with long, sandy tresses, her delicate hands working on folding several pieces of colored paper that had been set before her. She paused, turning to look up at him, but again the rusty distortion prevented him from seeing her face.

He saw a man, older than himself, dressed in regal purple robes, his eyes wide with terror as he stared up at him, the barrel of a gun aimed at his face. Lelouch felt his finger tighten on the trigger, and then a sense of wonderment, as the image rusted and faded, until even the memory of the gun's recoil was like a distant echo.

A woman turned to face him, dressed in a beautiful white gown that suited her pink hair perfectly, her smile gentle as she reached out towards him, her eyes filled with trust and love, as if he could do her no harm. Unlike the others, this memory's face was unobstructed, and Lelouch's felt his breath hitch at the sight of this woman, though why he felt such emotion was lost to him.

'No…' he whispered, wanting to reach out to her, even as the image began to rust at the edges, his hand grasping desperately for that extended hand, as if it were a lifeline against the encroaching darkness 'No! Not this! Don't take her from me! Not again!'

The woman's name tore from his lips, even as the image of her smile rusted over, Lelouch's howls echoing through his mind as he fell away from the image, the feeling of agony vanishing as he stumbled forwards into Watanuki's arms.

* * *

_Back in the garden..._

"You truly are an unfortunate one…Decade-kun…" Watanuki muttered, looking down at Lelouch as he slumped against him, noting with a saddened expression that tears streamed from the unconscious teen's eyes "Perhaps it is your lot in life…but that doesn't make it any easier."

"You claimed that your desire to save Iizuka Shusei came from your ability to comprehend his family's pain…having experienced such loss yourself…" Watanuki sighed "As such, your toll shall be those very memories which allow you to relate to their pain…the memory of the loved ones lost to you."

He sighed, looking down at the teen slumped against him with a pitying expression, even as Mokona, who'd been hiding about his person, hopped onto his shoulder, the little rabbit-thing's face saddened.

"I truly wish I could do more for you…" Watanuki offered, knowing Lelouch couldn't hear him, "but the rules can only be bent so far…" he eyed Mokona's earring "Your memories shall be stored here…until such time as they are needed." He smiled sadly "Hopefully…you won't be TOO angry with me…"

He paused, before turning to smile at Hikari and Shinji, who'd been standing there for some time, Hikari's hands clasped over her mouth, tears streaming from her eyes, while Shinji was staring at them in shock, a solemn Maru and Moro at their sides.

"Until then…" Watanuki called out, the young shopkeeper turning to face the teen's fellow travelers with a sad smile "Can I count on you two to look after him?"

Hikari choked and nodded, even as Shinji's gaze hardened, the younger rider nodding in determination as the twins stepped forward, taking Lelouch from their master and carrying him towards a nearby cherry tree, setting his back against it to let him rest.

"Will…" Shinji spoke up, the last Ikari's voice cracking with emotion, forcing him to pause and clear his throat, even as Hikari raced off, muttering something about washing up before dinner "Will he be alright?"

"He is unharmed…" Watanuki assured him, though Shinji noted the bespectacled young man seemed to have aged, mentally if not physically, by the transaction "And his wish shall be granted…Shusei-san shall live."

"You said his wish could have severe affects on the time stream…" Shinji recalled, looking down at his friend as Maru and Moro snuggled against him, the twins' faces sad as they hugged the comatose Rider in his sleep "Will they even remember?"

"Normally…no…" Watanuki admitted, his features solemn for a moment, only to slowly turn and smile at the younger teen, a self-mocking look of mischievousness in his eyes "However…I gave him a discount."

* * *

_Usui family home... _

Fumio Usui sighed as she woke in her home, sighing in depression, the memory of what happened the other day weighing heavily on her mind.

'I can't believe I fell apart like that…' she muttered, shaking her head as she got up, washed and dressed to begin the day 'I mean…yes it hurt to see him leave…but he wasn't MY Shu-chan…he simply went back to where he belonged…'

Sighing, Kenta's mother set about cleaning up their small apartment, which was ironically Shusei's old home, the home they'd eloped to when their parents refused to give their consent, a rundown apartment building that Shusei had won in a game of poker.

'Nameless coma patient escapes from hospital?' she wondered, looking over the morning paper, which Kenta must have dropped off on his way to Julian 'Oh my…I hope nobody gets hurt…'

"Ah…Kenta…" she greeted, not even looking up as the door opened, as only Kenta had the spare key to their home "Back so soon…?"

She trailed off, her eyes widening as she clapped her hands over her mouth, looking at the figure before her in alarm.

He was dressed in what looked like hospital pajamas and slippers, with a lab coat tossed hastily over his tall frame. His head was heavily bandaged, and there were signs of stitching, but his face was the same, even if it HAD aged since the last time she saw it.

"Fumio…" Shusei greeted, his voice hoarse, as if he hadn't used it for a long time, a weak smile adorning his features as he stood in the doorway, light shining behind him "I'm home…"

For the second time in as many days, Fumio Usui threw herself at the man she loved, this time weeping tears of joy as she held onto him.

And this time, she wouldn't let him go.

* * *

_ Meanwhile..._

While all this was going on, a similar, but VERY different scene was playing out in a very different location

'This can't be happening…' the teen whispered, his eyes widening in stunned disbelief, gaping down at the bespectacled man in his arms in horror as he began to dissolve 'This is all just a dream…right?'

"T…take it…" the man gasped, his features strained as he held up a black case, filled with cards, a golden crest in the shape of a dragon's head adorning the cover "F-finish it…the war…has to stop…"

"Hibiki-san!" the teen yelled, gripping the case as the man pressed it against his chest, only to throw his head back in despair as the man finally disappeared, reduced to particles on the wind "HIBIKI-SAN!"

All the while, a fearsome whine, like chiming crystal, echoed in the background, as several other, identical figures, clashed in a repetitive battle for supremacy, all under the watchful eye of man hidden in the shadows.

"There can be only one…"

* * *

And so, the curtain falls on the world of Kiva.

Hikari: *Eyes watery* Lamperouge-san...

Shinji: *Fists clenched* it isn't fair...

Ghost Nappa: *Crying buckets while hugging unconcious Lelouch* So SAD!

Lelouch: (In sleep) No...Loli's...get them away...!

Kyugan: Man has issues...

Next time, on Code Decade:

Lelouch: So this is the new world…

_Heedless of sacrifice, the journey continues..._

Shinji: Freelance Writer at Osiris Journal?

Lelouch: What the hell is with that noise?

_But behind each corner, lies a thousand horrors..._

Lelouch: Hikari! GET AWAY FROM THE GLASS!

Shinji: HIKARI! NO!

_New challenges await..._

Decade: Time to squash a bug…

**?: ADVENT!**

_And new Challengers..._

?: you aren't from around here…are you?

Decade: Just Passing Through.

_For silent waters..._

?: An interesting group…Just like he said they'd be…

_Hide dark intentions._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	16. Ryuki GX

Picking up where Kiva's world left off.

Shinji: Why are there a lot of mirrors in here?

Hikari: It's creepy...

Lelouch: *Checking his features* Doesn't bother me...

Reflection Lulu: Well of course not, we're gorgeous.

Kyugan: Wow...that Is creepy...Let's ride.

* * *

Through the Looking Glass.

"So this is the new world…" Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed rider smirking to himself as he stepped through the gateposts of Watanuki's shop, the store having apparated in an alley between two skyscrapers, a concerned Shinji and Hikari at his heels "I wonder what the riders of this world are like." He snorted "Hopefully I won't have to introduce myself with a fight."

Shinji flinched, looking over at the elder rider in concern as Lelouch continued to muse about the state of this new world's protectors. 'It's just like Watanuki-san said…' he muttered, recalling the discussion he'd held with the storekeeper as they waited for Lelouch to recover 'He doesn't remember a thing…not sacrificing his memories…not his wish…nothing.'

"Um…Lamperouge-san…" Hikari spoke up, the two riders turning round to find the freckled class representative blinking in surprise, pointing at the elder of the pair with understandable confusion "Your outfit…"

"Again?" Lelouch muttered, looking down in exasperation to find that yes, his outfit HAD changed once again. Now he was wearing Khaki slacks, a white T-shirt with Decade's symbol on the chest, under a sleeveless red bomber jacket with the same strange crest that adorned his sneakers on the back. Around his neck hung a strange pink camera, and at his side was a hip pack, which upon investigation, was filled with photography equipment.

"Seriously, what is up with this wardrobe changing crap?" the Passing Through Rider demanded, turning to glare at the gateposts which, predictably, weren't there anymore "I'm starting to HATE those things…"

"Lelouch Lamperouge…" Shinji muttered, the younger rider reading the ID card that hung around Lelouch's neck as the latter, after shaking his head with a scowl, checked out his appearance in the reflective glass of one of the skyscrapers "Freelance Writer at Osiris Journal?"

"So I'm a journalist this time…" Lelouch muttered, the elder teen shaking his head in wry bemusement as he scoffed, looking away from the mirror "Seriously…what is with the role playing?" he grimaced "And what the hell is with that noise?"

"What noise?" Hikari asked, the freckled teen tilting her head to the side in confusion, even as Shinji blinked, the younger rider frowning as he thought he caught the end of some distant echo on the wind.

"How can you not hear that?" Lelouch demanded, the Passing Through Rider covering his abused ear with his right hand, his eyes twitching from the pain "Good God, it's like nails on a chalkboard made of screams!"

"I'm telling you I can't hear anything!" Hikari insisted, looking a little scared, as even Shinji was beginning to look uncomfortable, his head turning back and forth, obviously hearing something, though not on the same level of Lelouch "What is it? Where's it coming from?"

"Hikari!" Lelouch snapped, the purple-eyed rider's eyes widening in alarm as he gaped at the girl, or more accurately, over her shoulder "GET AWAY FROM THE GLASS!"

Hikari blinked, opening her mouth to ask what the teen was talking about, only to shiver, her hand slowly going to her neck, where a rope of gossamer thread hung where nothing had before. "What…" she stammered, her eyes widening in disbelief as she slowly turned round to find herself looking at the reflective glass of the skyscraper.

Instead of just seeing her reflection, the freckled teen found herself looking at the upright thorax of a large, spider monster with a human torso, the creature glaring balefully down at her as she finally heard the warning keen of the glass.

"MOVE!" Lelouch barked, cursing as Hikari opened her mouth to scream, only for the spider creature to yank on the gossamer thread, pulling the terrified girl towards the mirror, the Riders' eyes widening as she slipped INTO it like a pebble into water.

"HIKARI!" Shinji yelled, the younger rider rushing forwards, only to curse as he bounced off the glass, slamming his fists against it angrily as he peered into it "NO! What the hell is this? What's going on?"

"So this is Ryuki's world…" Lelouch muttered, his eyes narrowing as he 'recognized' the creature as a Mirror Monster, a being that lived between mirrors, dragging it's victims into them to feed on their life energy "And from the looks of things, they've been slacking off on the pest control…"

"How can you joke at a time like this!" Shinji snapped,the Last ikari turning to glare at the elder Rider in anger, his eyes red with unshed tears and desperation "We need to do something! Hikari's in danger!"

"Not for long…" Lelouch assured the teen, the elder Teen's tone laced with confidence, his mismatched eyes narrowing as he slapped on the Decadriver, facing the window as he drew a card from the Ridebooker "Henshin!"

**"Kamen Ride: DECADE!"** the Decadriver declared, Lelouch slamming the levers together, the ten holographic images converging on his form as his armor formed, the Passing Through Rider dusting off his hands with a wry snort as the barcodes slotted into place.

"Time to squash a bug…" Decade muttered, before turning to look at the gaping Shinji "C'mon." he ordered, gesturing with his head for the younger teen to follow as he raced forwards and entered the mirror, leaving a ripple in his wake.

"Sugoi…" Shinji muttered, his eyes widening in surprise, before scowling, summoning his belt as he went through his transformation pose "HENSHIN!"

The red gem on the belt flashed, followed by a series of chimes as the last Ikari transformed into Kuuga's Mighty form, the young rider clenching a fist in determination. "Ikuze!" he yelled, before charging headfirst at the reflective surface, ready to teach the monsters of this world a lesson or two about messing with his friends.

Reality, however, had other ideas it seemed, for Kuuga, upon trying to leap into the portal, merely succeeded in slamming helmet first into the skyscraper, sliding painfully down the side, falling flat on his back, frozen in position.

"…Ow…"

* * *

_Inside the Mirror World... _

Hikari struggled futilely in the silken cocoon her attacker had wrapper her in, her eyes wide with terror as the arachnid monster continued to use it's metallic legs to bind her, it's mandibles clicking audibly as it focused on the task at hand.

**"Attack Ride: BLAST!"**

The creature hissed in pain, dropping the cocoon on the ground, much to Hikari's discomfort, as a barrage of laser fire impacted against it, driving it back as her savior ran up to her.

"I can't take my eyes off you two for a second, can I?" Decade muttered in annoyance, though Hikari could detect the amused note as he raised the Ridebooker, now in sword form, before her "Hold still."

Hikari nodded, shutting her eyes as Decade slashed at the gossamer thread binding her, the cocoon splitting in half as he cut it away, her arms coming up to hug the pink rider tightly around the neck as he pulled her out of the remains. "Easy there…" Decade offered, patting the distraught girl on the back comfortingly "We need to get you out of here…you'll dissolve if you stay on this side of the mirror too long."

"What?" Hikari asked, her eyes widening in alarm at the word 'dissolve' only to yelp as Decade hugged her close and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another gossamer thread as their arachnid assailant came back, looking none too pleased with having its meal interrupted.

"Get back!" Decade ordered, shoving the girl behind him as he reached for his Ridebooker once again, only to curse as the spider lunged at him, ignoring Hikari for the moment "Dammit! Where the hell's Shinji?"

* * *

_Outside... _

"LEMME IN!" Kuuga demanded, the younger rider looking quiet out of place as he continued to slam his palms against the surface of the skyscraper, desperately seeking an entrance into the mirrors "C'mon! Please?"

"I heard something back here!" a voice called out, Kuuga turning round in alarm to find several gun toting security guards with strange holsters on their belts standing at the entrance of the alley "HEY YOU!"

"Oh not again!" Kuuga whined, using the walls of the alley to leap up onto the roofs as he raced off, the sounds of pursuit following from below "Why do I always wind up in these situations!"

* * *

_Mirror World..._

Decade cursed as he rolled out of the path of the spider creature's attack, grimacing as he as forced to cut off the thread that managed to stick to him with the ride booker "Dammit…" he muttered, getting to his feet as he opened the case and extracted a different type of card "Well if Shinji's not gonna show up…"

**"Kamen Ride:" **the Decadriver called out, Decade pushing the levers back together as Kuuga's crest shone in the middle **"Kuuga!"**

A chiming noise filled the air Decade's form shining brightly for a moment, before being replaced by Kuuga's red Mighty form. "Ikari-kun?" Hikari gasped, looking on in confusion as 'Kuuga' dusted off his hands, before turning to face the monster head on.

"Right then…" D-Kuuga muttered, bringing a clenched fist up to his mask as he glared at his arachnid foe in anticipation "Let's take this puppy for a test Ride!"

The spider charged, only for D-Kuuga to leap up, delivering a flying kick to the monster's face, knocking it off balance, the faux red rider following it up with a series of punches that kept the creature off balance, until it lashed out with its legs.

"Feh…" D-Kuuga muttered, rubbing his chest plate where a bladed leg had scratched his armor "getting inside its reach is gonna be tough…" he reached for the Ridebooker and drew a card "Unless I attack from outside it."

**"Form Ride:" **the Decadriver announced, D-Kuuga slotting a card in and slamming the levers back into place as he raised the Ridebooker in it's firearm form **"Kuuga: Pegasus!"**

Kuuga's Transformation chime filled the air again, as D-Kuuga shifted from the Red Mighty form to the Green Pegasus form, the Ridebooker replaced with Kuuga's golden bow gun, which the faux green rider leveled at the monster, loosing a bolt of golden energy that impacted with its torso, sending it sprawling backwards, legs kicking in the air.

"Like shooting skeet in a barrel…" D-Kuuga muttered, stepping forwards, planting his foot on the monsters head to keep it pinned as he drew the bolt back again "Goodnight…"

Hikari flinched, looking away as D-Kuuga loosed the bolt, ending the poor things life with a burst of golden energy, before reverting back to Decade in a blur of pixels. "You okay, Hikari?" the green-eyed rider asked, turning to face the teen as he re-attached the Ridebooker to his hip "Well…other than the obvious mental scarring that is…"

"BAKA!" Hikari snapped, the freckled girl flushing furiously as she stamped her foot, only to back away as Decade chuckled, taking a breath to calm herself as she took in her surroundings for the first time "What is this place?

"The mirror world." Decade replied, walking up to the l whilst keeping an eye on their surroundings. This was mirror monster turf after all "C'mon, let's get you out of here-!"

He was cut off as something large rammed into his side, Hikari letting out a shriek as a wildboarder slammed her protector against the wall.

"Alright Bacon bits…" Decade muttered, the battered, annoyed Passing Through Rider reaching for the Ridebooker with a growl, glaring at the Wildboarder as the mirror monster roared defiantly "you asked for this-!"

**"Advent!" **a mechanized voice declared, Decade looking up in surprise as two, vaguely shark-like mirror monsters tackled the wildboarder and dragged it away, attacking it from both sides as he and Hikari looked on in shock..

"Get down." A voice cautioned, Decade barely managing to tackle Hikari out of the path as the mechanized voice called out **"Strike Vent"** the two monsters becoming a giant shark that charged the boarder and slammed it against the far wall, destroying it.

"That was too close…" the voice opined, the duo looking up to see a rider standing in the background, his armor white and blue, with a shark motif, a blue belt with a golden Shark crest adorning his waist "You two okay?"

"Fine…" Decade offered as he helped a dazed Hikari to her feet, eyeing the shark Rider warily, as that last attack had been a little TOO close for comfort.

"Well that's good…" the rider opined, walking up to them at a sedate, easy pace "I was chasing the wildboarder earlier when it suddenly ran off. I figured it had gotten the scent of easier prey." He inclined his helmet towards a nervous Hikari "Looks like I was right."

"Hikari's anything but 'easy'." Decade countered, earning a blush from the freckled girl in question for the compliment "And who might you be?"

"Kamen Rider Abyss." The shark rider introduced, inclining his head towards the pair, Decade frowning as he felt the rider's unseen gaze wash over him "Forgive my assumptions…but you aren't from around here…are you?"

"Just Passing Through." Decade shot back, only to blink as Hikari gasped, turning round only to curse as particles began to rise off the girl's body.

"You need to get her out of here." Abyss pointed out, gesturing towards a nearby mirror, before pushing Hikari into Decade's arms and turning on his heel "She won't last otherwise."

"Hold it!" Decade called out, holding the suddenly weak-kneed Hikari as she slumped against him, her eyes closed as she continued to break down "Dammit! No time-!"

He scooped her up, carrying her bridal style as he charged towards the mirror, tackling into it with his shoulder, the surface rippling like water as the two of them passed through to the other side.

"An interesting pair…" Abyss noted, his tone laced with intrigued bemusement as he walked off into the shadows "Just like he said they'd be…"

* * *

_Outside the mirror... _

Decade cursed as he stumbled out of the mirror, turning so that his armored shoulder hit the ground first, rather than Hikari, who was clinging tightly to his neck. They hit the ground with a combined grunt, Decade's armor vanishing in a flurry of pixels, leaving Lelouch wincing as Hikari continued to hug him. "Hikari…" the elder teen muttered, patting the girl on the arms tenderly to get her to look up at him "It's…getting a little hard to breath here…"

"S-Sorry!" Hikari squeaked, pushing herself off the elder teen hurriedly, looking on as he sat up, coughing slightly as he breathed in "T-thanks again…Lamperouge-san."

"No problem." Lelouch assured her, smiling up at the freckled class representative "Just don't go turning your back to mirrors here, alright? You never know what's lurking in them."

"H-Hai…" Hikari acknowledged, shivering slightly at the memory of the spider monster, only to blink as she felt something against her back "What's this?" she wondered, pulling a sheet of paper off her back.

"Looks like Abyss left you something…" Lelouch muttered, quirking an eyebrow at the paper, torn between suspicion and bemusement as he looked over the girl's shoulder to get a better look at it "Still…a 'Kick Me' Sign? He must've heard about your reputation."

"BAKA!" Hikari countered, jabbing her thumb into the elder teen's neck, sending him to the floor once more, cackling madly "It's not a kick me sign!" she countered, only to blink as she turned her attention back to the paper "It looks like…a list of names?"

"Let me see that…" Lelouch managed to get out between chuckles as he got to his feet, accepting the offered sheet with a frown as he held his neck, looking down at the listed names, twelve in all.

"What do you think it means?" Hikari asked, looking over at the elder teen in concern "I mean, maybe it's a clue? Abyss-san DID help us back there."

"Yes…awfully convenient of him wasn't it?" Lelouch muttered, earning a confused look from the younger teen as he got to his feet, tucking the paper into his coat pocket "Still, we won't get any answers sitting out here…let's find this 'Osiris Journal' first."

"What about Ikari-kun?" Hikari asked, looking around in concern, as there was no sign of her fellow traveler "Where is he anyway?"

"He'll come back when he's hungry…" Lelouch noted offhandedly, missing the confused look on Hikari's face as she blinked at him "Besides, he's a rider, he'll be fine."

* * *

_In a dark room... _

"One more time…" the mustachioed police chief muttered, leaning across the desk to glare at a nervous looking Shinji, doing his best 'bad cop' impersonation to full effect "Where did the guy in the armor go?"

'Why does this always happen to me?' Shinji muttered, slamming his face into the man's desk with a whimper, earning looks of sympathy from the two policewomen that had brought him in.

"O-oi…" the chief muttered, his bad cop impersonation faltering immediately as he turned to the tall, sunglass sporting cycle cop that was leaning against the opposite wall, who merely shrugged, uncertain "Ease up kid…we just wanna know…"

"Chief!" a short policewoman with glasses and her hair done in braids burst into the office, a tall, shapely brunette at her side "It's Cobra! They've cornered him at a warehouse!"

"Nakajima!" the chief called out, his eyes suddenly hard once more "Get out there and keep those rookies in order until I get there!" he rounded on the two female officers that had brought Shinji in "Natsumi! Miyuki! Fire up your patrol car! I'm riding shotgun!"

"Uh…what about me?" Shinji asked, the Last Ikari pointing to himself uncertainly as the officers filed out, only to blink as the shapely brunet from before patted him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"Don't you worry." The bespectacled officer assured him, smiling serenely "We just need you to answer some questions, so you can stay here with me and Aoi and have some tea!"

Shinji sweat dropped, looking on as the taller officer pulled a thermos and several cups apparently out of thin air, somehow feeling unnerved by her proximity, despite her killer figure and gentle smile.

'It reminds me of the time all the guys had to shower together after a match…' he muttered, shivering at the memory of the coach's wandering eyes, not to mention the slaps he used to deal out in passing.

Aoi merely smiled down at the adorable teen before him, the transgender officer wondering how someone so cute could be associated with those strange weirdoes in spandex that showed up from time to time in the unedited reports.

* * *

_With Lelouch and Hikari... _

Osiris Journal was a small newspaper firm that occupied one ground floor office in one of the smaller skyscrapers, the sign painted a faded red with the image of a looping red dragon underneath, which Hikari pointed out was 'Historically incorrect,' as Osiris was an Egyptian God, as such, he was usually represented by an Ankh.

This meant little to Lelouch, though he had to admit that the dragon looked badass, what with those two mouths and golden eyes.

"Ayukawa-sempai!" a female voice called out from within, Lelouch opening the door just as a dark haired girl, dressed in a red jacket and holding a printout, proceeded to chastise and older brunette with a large bang over her right eye, the latter sitting at a terminal, drinking milk "You forgot to fix my computer again!"

"Gomen, Rei-chan…" the older brunette offered, rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish smile, even as she turned back to her own computer to continue with her work "It was so long ago it must have slipped my mind."

"I only asked you yesterday!" Rei insisted, the dark haired girl sighing dramatically as she walked back to her desk, eyeing the offending computer as she spoke "OH man…I needed this working for today's issue…"

"Calm down, Rei-chan." A tall man with long black hair and permanently closed eyes behind stylish spectacles chastised, walking over to the offending computer, a large cat held in his arms sedately "Here…let me take a look at it."

Setting the oversized feline aside, the bespectacled man frowned at the computer, slapping it soundly on the side. "Ow!" the brunette called out from the side, earning a look of confusion from Rei "Stop!" she cried again in response to a second slap, "That hurts!" she called out in response to the third.

"Hmm…" the bespectacled man muttered, apparently unaware of the reaction his treatment of the machine was having on the woman "Perhaps the problem's inside?"

He reached over, unfastening the side of the machine in order to get a look at the inside, completely unaware of the Brunette, who began stripping off her clothes in response to the lowering of the case.

"Daitokuji-san!" Rei called out, slapping the confused Editor upside the head, sending him crashing to the floor, even as she slammed the machine's casing shut, the Brunette pulling her clothes back on just as the computer's start-up tone sounded.

"Oh! Is it working now?" Ayukawa asked, the hapless brunette turning to smile at the flushed teen while their boss got to his feet "You see Rei-chan? If you treat people right, they'll never let you down!"

"Computers and people are two different things sempai…" Rei muttered with a sweat drop, shaking her head at the woman's antics, only to blink as she finally espied the newcomers "Oh! Hello, do you have an appointment?"

"Perhaps." Lelouch opined, tying to get the image of the brunette stripping out of his mind before Hikari started pressing preassure points "My Name's Lelouch Lamperouge…I start working here today."

"Ah! The new guy!" Rei exclaimed, skipping over, past the dazed Editor to stand before the teen, pulling off a cute salute "Welcome to Osiris Journal. I'm Rei Saotome, but you can call me Sempai starting from today."

"Actually, Rei-chan." Daitokuji called out, his tone bemused despite the palm print plastered across his cheek "Lamperouge-san is a professional Journalist, so he's technically YOUR Sempai while he's here."

"Aw…" Rei moaned, the red-clab brunette slumping at the news, looking so decidedly downcast you couldn't help but feel pity for her "I was so looking forward to having someone else around to be the gopher…"

"Sorry to disappoint." Lelouch chuckled, smiling at the girl as he walked past, walking up to the editor with a professional smile "This is Hikari Horaki," he added as an afterthought, nodding to the freckled girl "she's my…protégé, if you will, so you can boss HER around all you want."

"Lamperouge-san!" Hikari countered, looking affronted at the very idea, only for Lelouch to step nimbly out of range of her thumb, the class rep huffing as he moved so that the desk was between them, even as Rei appeared before her, eyes sparkling.

"Nice to meet you!" the red-clad female greeted, clasping Hikari's hands in her own "It's so good to have another girl around!"

"What about me?" Ayukawa asked off to the side, looking a little upset at being excluded from the girl's introduction, her lower lip pouting slightly.

"You're a woman Sempai." Rei countered, still clasping Hikari's hands in her own as she turned to look over her shoulder "Still, this is great! We should have a girls night out!"

"Not today you won't." Daitokuji countered, scooping up his cat and returning to his desk, where Lelouch was standing "We need to get a lead on those strange disappearances before the competition does."

"From the looks of things…" Lelouch muttered, his purple eyes washing over the pictures and articles pinned behind the man's desk "there's been seven disappearances in this past month alone."

"So far there have been no clues as to why or how they occurred." Ayukawa noted, the older woman bringing up the most recent police reports on her computer with a frown "It's like they were spirited away."

"It's gotten so bad that the police are just going around in circles." Rei opined, the younger brunette's features decidedly grim as she crossed her arms before her, Hikari looking around the office in concern.

"Aren't there any clues?" the freckled teen asked, only to blink, letting out a small cry of surprise as a hand appeared from under a nearby desk, holding what looked like a meal ticket in the air "what the-?"

"Gyudon…" a voice moaned, Lelouch blinking as he peered under the desk to find a teen with two-tone brown hair camping out underneath, wrapped in a sleeping bag "Seconds please…with spring onions…"

"Not again…" Daitokuji sighed, the bespectacled editor palming his face, shaking his head in long-suffering exasperation as Ayukawa and Rei fought the urge to giggle at the sight "Typical Judai-kun…"

"Is he…an employee?" Lelouch asked, quirking an eyebrow at the editor, honestly praying that his guess was wrong, and that the teen was simply a freeloader, or a janitor with a live-in mentality.

"I'm afraid so…" Daitokuji admitted, the long-haired editor loosing a sigh of defeat as he got out of his chair, a look of long-suffering embarrassment on his features "He's also our only photographer."

'No wonder this place is so small…' Lelouch muttered, the passing through Rider looking on as Daitokuji, a catlike smile on his face, knelt down before the slumbering teen with his cat held in his arms 'hiring people like that…'

"One order of Spring onion Gyudon!" Daitokuji called out cheerfully, the bespectacled man holding out his oversized cat to the slumbering teen, who accepted it with a smile, much to the feline's confusion.

"Itadakimasu…" the brunet muttered, smiling as he held the cat up to his face, leaning in as if to sniff the food, only to yelp as the cat slashed him across the nose, causing him to slam his head against the underside of the desk "ITE-!"

"Awake are we?" Daitokuji asked, his tone amused, though there was a vein bulging in his hair if you looked closely enough "Really Judai-kun, bad enough you're freeloading here, but weren't you supposed to be out gathering information on the Asakura case?"

"Gomen, Daitokuji-san." The teen offered, smiling weakly as he clambered out from under the desk, revealing himself fully dressed in a pair of grey jeans over a black shirt "I just dozed off after pulling an all-nighter last night."

"Indeed." Daitokuji muttered, his lidded stare falling on the discarded bowls of take-out and playing cards that littered the underside of the desk "Well in that case, you can show Lelouch-kun around town."

"Eh?" the brunet stammered, looking up to find Lelouch looking down at him from behind Daitokuji, the elder teen's features lined with uncertainty "Whoa! A foreigner!" he exclaimed before switching to broken English "_How you do?_"

"Quite the way with words, haven't you?" Lelouch muttered blandly in perfect Japanese, a wry smirk adorning his features as Rei told the embarrassed brunet off for his lack of tact "I'm Lelouch Lamperouge," he introduced, inkling his head in a slight bow, before holding out his hand "I'll be working with you for a while."

"Cool!" the brunet cheered, grinning energetically as he accepted the offered hand, thumbing at himself confidently by way of introduction "I'm Judai Yuki! Osiris Journal's BEST Cameraman!"

"Ara! I thought you were our ONLY Cameraman, Judai-kun." Ayukawa pointed out from the side, causing the brunet to slump, even as Lelouch and Hikari's eyes widened, the pair turning to look at each other, eyes confirming the other's reaction.

'Judai Yuki…' Lelouch muttered, his eyes narrowing as he returned his gaze to the brunet, who was rubbing the back of his neck and grinning in embarrassment 'His name was on that list…could he be…?'

* * *

_From the shadows..._

Unbeknownst to Decade, a familiar figure was watching him from beyond the mirrors, his masked visage glaring at the dimension-traversing rider with cool anger.

"Decade…" He whispered, his cloak wrapped around him like a folded set of wings, "I swear…this world is where your journey will end!"

So saying he turned, stepping through a different mirror to parts unknown, unaware of the fact he was being watched.

'So this is the one who seeks to manipulate the war…' the Rider muttered, his tone grim as he stood with his arms crossed before him 'I wonder how HE will react to this…development?'

Even as the rider spoke, a tall young man with long silver hair was watching the scene through the mirrors, one silver bang covering his face, his other eye glaring balefully at the image of the caped interloper, as well as the image of Decade.

"Intruders will NOT be permitted…" he hissed, clenching the armrest of his chair in anger as the images of his riders appeared on the mirrors "they must be eliminated!"

* * *

And so it begins...

Lelouch: Christ, I'm here five minutes and already there's someone out to get me!

Kyugan: More than one actually?

Ghost Nappa: 'Choo Talkin' about Kyugan?

Kyugan: Ryuki has more than one Rider.

Lelouch: So?

Shinji: i remember! Didn't they win an award or something for most Riders?

Lelouch: So What? Three? Five?

Kyugan: Thirteen.

Lelouch: *Remember left for Awesome 2?*...ffffffffffFFFFFFFFUUUUU-!

Next Time, on Code Decade:

Judai: It's just so cool to have a big-time foreign journalist on the team!

_A new world..._

Judai: word on the street has it that they finally managed to bring Viper down.

Lelouch: You don't mean Thelonius Viper, do you?

_Brings new problems._

Lelouch: Could you let us interview Mr. Viper? I assure you, it won't take long.

Viper: Visitors? Thought I'd be left alone for a while…

_An interview with a madman..._

Judai: Someone like you…doesn't deserve to be allowed out with normal people.

Viper: I don't care if you're 'just passing through', if you're a rider…then you're my PREY.

_Reveals an even Darker Scenario._

Viper: Don't you get that you're the ONLY one that's not playing the game right?

Lelouch: Game?

Judai: It's basically a Battle Royal…We're supposed to keep battling until there's only one left.

_New faces..._

?: So, this the new guy?

Lelouch: My reputation precedes me it seems…

_Lead to a clash of Ideals._

Judai: No matter what their reasons, I won't just let them carry on killing each other! Nothing's worth killing another person for!

?: You even know WHO the other riders are, slacker?

_Alliances drawn in the sand..._

Lelouch: Still, at least this'll make recruiting them easier.

?: Yeah well count me out! I'm in this fight for myself! I don't need people dragging me down.

_Lead to startling revelations._

?: There's no way…He CAN'T be a rider!

Lelouch: Judging by your reaction, I'd say you know him? Think he'll listen to reason?

?: That guy wouldn't help anyone out unless it benefitted him personally!

_And so the Die is cast._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	17. Ryuki GX2

Some of you seemed rather pleased with the Selection for Ryuki's world. I just seemed to draw a lot of similarities with between Judai and Shinji (Ryuki), both are energetic, a little ridiculous, and prone to acts of randomness when unsettled.

Shinji: The bit with the sword and the Dispider still makes me laugh.

Hikari: I hate spiders...

Lelouch: *scrutinizing his image in the mirror* Hmm...have I put on weight?

Reflection Lulu: 'I' Haven't, but then, you're nothing but a pale imitation?

Lelouch: *Twitches, draws Decadriver* Wanna say that again?

Reflection Lulu: * Does the same* You hard of hearing to?

Kyugan: This...could be a problem...and me without my camera!

___

* * *

_

Snakes and Dragons.

"Sorry about before, Sempai." Judai offered, the brunet photographer grinning as he and Lelouch dismounted from their respective motorcycles outside a Police Station, Bokuto Police Station to be exact "It's just so cool to have a big-time foreign journalist on the team!"

"I can imagine." Lelouch mused, smiling offhandedly at the brunet as he pulled off his helmet, deciding to leave it with the Machine Decader, confident that it would be safe outside a police station, though Jaden brought his with him "So what's the scoop this time?"

"Well word on the street has it that they finally managed to bring Viper down." Judai revealed in a stage whisper, the youngter teen covering his mouth dramatically, as if there could be spies lurking around every corner.

"Viper?" Lelouch repeated, the Passing-Through Rider's purple eyes narrowing at the familiar name, as it was yet another one re recalled from the list he'd been given "You don't mean Thelonius Viper, do you?"

"You ARE good." Judai marveled, his eyes widening in respect as he grinned up at the taller teen "Yup, he used to be part of the US army stationed here, but was court-martialed and sentenced to death for murdering a superior officer." He shivered, leaning over to speak in a stage whisper "Apparently he escaped and has been laying low ever since."

"Not low enough it seems." Lelouch opined, honestly not caring less about the background of some military nutcase as he walked into the station, flashing his ID to the woman at the desk, who smiled at the sight of them.

"I'm sorry, Judai-kun." She offered, her tone genial and light, though for some reason it caused Goosebumps to rise along Lelouch's spine "But the chief said we're not to let anyone without clearance down to the cells until Viper's Lawyer gets here."

"Aw, c'mon Aoi-san!" Judai implored, clapping his hands together pleadingly, his eyes closed as he smiled at the admittedly pretty policewoman "Just five minutes? We only want to ask him a few questions, did I mention that's a really good shade of lipstick you've got on?"

"Sorry Judai-kun." The long-haired policewoman countered, an apologetic smile on her face, though she did blush slightly at the compliment, placing a hand over her left cheek as she tilted her head cutely "But orders are orders."

"If I may?" Lelouch asked, the elder teen placing his hand on a confused Judai's shoulder, shoving him politely, but pointedly out of the way before leaning down to look the smiling officer in the eyes "Officer…Futaba was it?"

"Oh please, call me Aoi." The policewoman insisted, smiling up at the, admittedly handsome, foreign teen cheerfully, Lelouch noting that she seemed to be checking him out even as HE was giving her the subtle once over "Everyone does."

"Aoi-san then," Lelouch corrected with a suave smile "I know it's a breach of regulations…' he brought his hand up over his eye to brush his bangs aside "But could you let us interview Mr. Viper? I assure you, it won't take long."

Aoi blinked, opening her mouth to politely refuse, only to still, her eyes widening as she gazed into the foreign teen's, nodding her head in dazed approval "Alright." She agreed, standing up, her voice slightly dazed "But only for five minutes…"

"That's all we'll need." Lelouch assured her, smiling in victory as he stepped back, looking on as the policewoman called for someone to mind the desk, only to blink as he realized Judai was gaping at him in awe.

"Dude…" the red-clad brunet exclaimed, looking from the foreign teen to the suddenly helpful Aoi, who gestured for them to follow her with a cheerful, albeit dazed smile on "How'd you do that? Some sorta Jedi mind trick?"

"It's a talent." Lelouch replied cryptically, smirking as he walked past the confused photographer, noting the cute wiggle of officer Futaba's rear as they descended down the steps, only to pull up short as he espied a familiar face in a nearby cell.

"Lelouch!" Shinji called out, the younger Rider jumping to his feet, grabbing the bars of his cell as he gaped out at the elder teen in relief, tears of joy forming in his eyes, causing Judai to back away in alarm "You came to bail me out?"

"Oh my…do you two know one another?" Aoi asked, the busty brunet looking back over her shoulder at the duo, a finger on her lips, a look that was shared by Judai, who was gaping between all three of them in confusion.

"Never seen him before in my life." Lelouch muttered immediately, internally chuckling as Shinji face faulted, ignoring the last Ikari's ranting as he continued down the hall "What's he in for?" Lelouch asked in passing, Shinji's cries fading away as they marched deeper into the cellblock "He skip class or something?"

"Oh he's not technically a prisoner." Aoi assured the foreign teen with a smile "We just need him to answer some questions about the strange man in red armor that tried to break into KaibaCorp earlier today."

Lelouch quirked an eyebrow at this, mainly because he noticed Judai tense up at the mention of 'Red Armor', only to relax at the mention of 'KaibaCorp'. 'Looks like my hunch was correct,' the elder teen muttered, eyeing the brunet out the corner of his eyes as the walked down the hallway, guided by Aoi 'He's definitely a rider.'

"Here we are." Aoi informed them, coming to a halt outside a cell that was at the very end of the walkway, her tone dazed, but still slightly nervous as she held up a finger "Remember, only five minutes."

"Not a problem." Lelouch assured her, stepping aside as she made to return to the front desk, gesturing for Shinji to follow as he walked up to the cell, peering in at the prisoner warily.

He was BIG, easily head and shoulders taller than the teens, and wrapped entirely in a straightjacket, secured with chains and leather belts that were attached to the wall. His head was lowered, but it rose slowly as he realized he had company, revealing cold blue eyes in a chiseled face, what little could be seen above his Hannibal mask that is.

"Visitors?" the man wondered, his Japanese tinged with a slight, western accent, his voice like a dry hiss as a result of the mask bolted across the lower half of his face "Thought I'd be left alone for a while…"

"Lelouch Lamperouge of Osiris Journal." Lelouch introduced, refusing to be intimidated by the clearly ddangerous man as he stepped forwards, a nervous Judai following suit, the nnormally energetic brunet sticking to the rear "And this is..."

"I know him…" Viper muttered, his eyes narrowing as they locked onto the brunet, whose eyes hardened as he stuck his hand into his pocket "What's the matter kid? You're not scared of a man behind bars are you?"

"It's where you belong…" Judai muttered, the brunet's voice filled with a surprising amount of conviction as he glared at the older man coldly "Someone like you…doesn't deserve to be allowed out with normal people."

"Like me?" Viper repeated, the imprisoned mass murderer's tone derisive as he scoffed at the teen's words, his eyes glinting with dark, serpentine humor "You're one to talk kid…just what type do you mean?"

"Riders…right?" Lelouch asked, his smirk decidedly smug as the two snapped their heads towards him, Judai's eyes wide in shock, while Viper's were narrowed intensely "Looks like I was right…" he muttered, eyeing Viper coyly "though I'm surprised that someone like YOU could become a rider."

"Who the hell're you?" Viper demanded, the large man's raspy voice growing decidedly more menacing as he glared at the teen. Judai was likewise eyeing the elder teen warily, his hand reaching not-so-subtly for his back pockets.

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider…" Lelouch replied with a coy smirk, holding up the Decadriver for emphasis, much to Judai's shock "though telling you to remember it seems moot, seeing as you aren't likely to get out of here soon."

"I wouldn't count my chickens just yet, boy." Viper warned, the incarcerated felon's tone dangerously confident as he sneered at them "I don't care if you're 'just passing through', if you're a rider…then you're my PREY."

"Just listen to yourself!" Judai exclaimed, the brunet's features lined with anger, pain and disgust as he glared at the muzzled American psychopath "What's wrong with you? How can you consider human beings as prey?"

"There you go spouting that garbage again." Viper scoffed, his eyes narrowing in dark amusement as he sneered behind his mask at the teen "Don't you get that you're the ONLY one that's not playing the game right?"

"Game?" Lelouch repeated, the Passing-Through Rider looking between the two native Riders with a frown, noting the look of distressed anger in Judai's eyes, wondering just what kind of wasps nest he'd walked into this time "What're you talking about?"

"Non-Non-Non!" a pompous voice called out in Italian, the trio turning to find a tall, gangly man in a highly flamboyant suit walking towards them, Lelouch grimacing at the man's purple lipstick and boney cheeks "I'm afraid I cannot have you interviewing my client without my permission, Signors."

"Oh God not him…" Judai whimpered, the brunet glancing heavenward for a moment, as if pleading divine intervention, turning round only to flinch as he was forced to look up at the grossly effeminate man as he advanced on them, briefcase in hand.

"I take it you're Viper's lawyer then?" Lelouch asked, the elder ignoring Judai's look of apprehension, and the convict's muderous glare, in favor of quirking an eyebrow at the man, grimacing slightly at the sight of his painted purple lips.

"Chronos de Medici, at your service Signor." the blonde man introduced, his Japanese laced with a notable Italian accent as he bowed, one hand across his chest "Attorney at law, though there really isn't anything I can do for this lunkhead short of avoiding the death sentence."

"Step a little closer and call me that again you Florentine Faggot." Viper growled in English, the captive Rider straining as the muscles in his neck bulged visibly, the leather bonds tensing under the pressure, but holding fast.

"Hey, Fottiti!" Chronos snapped, waving a bony hand dismissively at the man as he sneered in disgust "Such an uncultured boor you are." He muttered, smirking at the captive rider as he reached into his coat "Still, there's not a lot you can do to me in there…" he pulled a purple case out from his coat, Lelouch's eyes narrowing as he espied the golden cobra crest on the front "Especially with out THIS, Na-no-ne!"

Viper's glare intensified, Lelouch eyeing the smug lawyer from the side, wondering how on earth someone so aggravating could represent anyone, only to flinch as the now familiar sound of the mirror world started up, the purple eyed rider blinking as he followed Viper's suddenly intent gaze to look at Judai, or rather, at the red-clad teen's helmet, the surface of which was rippling like water.

"MERDE!" Chronos swore, his eyes widening in shock as he slapped the helmet out of Judai's hands, just as a large purple serpent emerged from the reflection, the Italian cursing as it's tail slapped the cobra deck out of his hand, even as Lelouch pushed Judai back against the wall, only to choke as a powerful arm wrapped around his neck.

"I owe you one…kid." Viper sneered, the ex-soldier having discarded his straightjacket, revealing a muscular physique underneath as he held Lelouch in place "If you weren't such a klutz, my partner never could've gotten in here." He glared at the teen "Now…toss me that water bottle! Before I snap your friends neck!"

Judai flinched, only to comply, tossing the bottle between the bars, Viper stamping on it to force the water out, releasing Lelouch as he aimed his deck at the puddle, smirking as a belt appeared around his waist.

"Henshin!" the rider called out, holding a hand like a claw before his face, slotting the cobra deck into his belt, purple armor forming over him like reflective glass, the rider cracking his neck with a sigh, before turning round to glare at the trio. "Now…where to begin!"

"POLICIA!" Chronos shrieked in Italian, the lawyer slamming his elbow into the fire alarm, the purple rider cursing as the sound of footsteps filled the air, kicking the cell door off it's hinges before rounding on the trio.

"I'll deal with you later…" he promised, before racing off down the corridor, several police officers hot on his trail.

* * *

Outside Bokuto Station...

"IDIOTA!" Chronos roared, the Italian shaking Judai with his hands around the teen's neck, his teeth clenched in rage as they stood behind Bokuto station "What in God's name were you thinking? Bringing something reflective near that Pazza?"

"I forgot!" Judai insisted, the dazed brunet's eyes little swirls in his head, either from the lack of oxygen or being shaken was debatable, not even bothering to resist the elder Rider's attempts at shaking his brain out of his ears "I didn't think my helmet counted!"

"YOU CAN SEE YOUR BLOODY FACE IN IT YOU DROP-OUT BOY!" Chronos roared, his head several times its normal size as he breathed fire at the cowering teen "Now thanks to you that uccisore is on the loose, probably lurking behind every mirror, waiting for us to turn our backs!"

"I don't get it." Lelouch spoke up, the purple eyed teen frowning at the duo "Back there…Viper mentioned something about a game." He eyed the duo carefully "And from the sound of it, the three of you are Riders…but if that's the case, why are you fighting each other?"

"You really don't know anything do you?" Chronos muttered in disgust, dropping the dazed Judai to the ground as he turned to the purple-eyed teen "The 'game' as that serpente put it, is the Rider Battle, a challenge where Riders battle it out to decide the winner."

"It's basically a Battle Royal…" Judai spoke up, coughing occasionally as he rubbed his throat from where Chronos had been strangling him "We're supposed to keep battling until there's only one of us left."

"Riders fighting one another?" Lelouch repeated, his eyes narrowing, as that sounded FAR too much like his experiences in the other worlds he'd visited for his tastes "What about the mirror monsters? Don't tell me you let them run free?"

"Of course not." Chronos scoffed, the Italian defense attorney waving a boney hand dismissively at the idea "Our contract beasts need to eat after all," he sniffed daintily "though I'll admit we don't actively hunt them down."

"Which is what we SHOULD be doing!" Judai insisted, planting himself before the Italian prima donna, his arms spread wide "This Game's just senseless slaughter! There's no proof that the prize even exists!"

"And what prize would this be?" Lelouch asked, the Passing Through Rider looking between the two locals once more, his interest piqued by their contrasting opinions "To risk your lives, it must be something incredible."

"The winner of the Rider War shall have their greatest wish granted." Chronos supplied, as if quoting another person's words "It's certainly worth smashing a few heads in…" he snorted and thumbed in Judai's direction "OF course, we occasionally get dreamers like the Drop-out Boy over there who try to change things."

"It's because it's wrong!" Judai insisted, waving his arm to the side insistently, glaring pointedly up at the elder Rider "Innocent people are dying and all YOU can care about is some stupid wish that might never come true!"

"Eternal youth and health is HARDLY something I'd deem 'stupid', Signor Judai." Chronos countered tersely, his lips pursed as he pouted, though admittedly he had decency to avoid the teen's pointed look for the admittedly shallow wish.

"So basically this is a Free-For-All with a wish as the grand prize." Lelouch opined, his tone curious, holding his chin in thought as he eyed the local riders "Who's the sponsor?" he asked, wondering if it were possible to nip this problem at it's source.

"Uh…" Judai muttered, the brunet sweatdropping slightly at the question "I don't actually know that part…" he admitted, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment "I only joined up because Hibiki-san saved me."

"Signor Koyo Hibiki was the PREVIOUS Ryuki." Chronos explained at Lelouch's inquisitive gaze, his features solemn "He tried to convince the other riders to end the war by sealing off the Mirror World." He sighed, shrugging dramatically "Regrettably, none of the other riders supported him, so he ended up being killed fighting alone." He crossed himself respectfully "Resquiet In Pace…"

"Hibiki-san saved me from a mirror monster way back." Judai admitted, his normally cheerful features grim as he clenched his fist "He died trying to save everyone…but the other riders…they didn't even stop to look at him!"

"He went against the majority decision." Chronos countered with a smug little scoff, shrugging his boney shoulders dismissively "Everyone knows that NEVER works in court, and the court of life, the majority rules."

"Maybe so…" Lelouch agreed, though the frown on his face belied his words as he glared pointedly at the lawyer "however, if the system is wrong, isn't it up to the few to correct it?"

Chronos said nothing, his lips pursed as he eyed the purple eyed teen warily, no doubt sizing him up, before sighing, raising his hands in the air before walking off "Enough of this…Mama Mia, listening to other people prattle makes me tired…" he picked up his briefcase, waving over his shoulder "Ariverdercci, Drop out Boy…"

* * *

As Chronos saunters off...

"Ugh…I hate it when he calls me that!" Jaden growled, the younger Rider gripping his head as he and Lelouch watched the Italian Defense Attorney walk off into the night "Seriously, that guy's attitude just ticks me off!"

"He's right you know." Another voice called out, the two Riders turning to find a tall young woman in a white blouse and tight blue jeans standing behind them, arms crossed under her breasts and a neutral frown on her face "That philosophy of yours is going to get you killed."

"Asuka-san!" Judai gasped, Lelouch quirking his eyebrow at the familiar name, wondering how Shinji would react to THIS turn of events, even as Judai turned to face the woman, looking torn between surprise and wariness "How long were you here?"

"Long enough." Asuka replied, the tall young woman stepping forward, her eyes drifting over Judai to land on Lelouch, sizing him up, even as the Passing Through Rider did the same "So, this the new guy?"

"My reputation precedes me it seems…" Lelouch noted wryly, smirking to himself as he offered a stage bow to the woman "Lelouch Lamperouge, at your service…" he smiled up at her disarmingly "And you are?"

"Asuka Tenjouin." The young woman replied, apparently unfazed by Lelouch's charm, which was a first, as she reached into her jean pocket, pulling out a white deck with a winged crest on the front "Kamen Rider Femme."

"Indeed?" Lelouch mused, standing up slowly, his smirk now decidedly dangerous as he reached behind him for the Decadriver "I have to say, I never thought I'd meet a FEMALE Rider…I must admit, I'm impressed."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Asuka countered, her eyes cool as she held out her deck towards a nearby window, no doubt intending to summon her henshin belt, only to blink as Judai stepped between them, arms wide.

"Stop it!" the red-clad brunet cried out, his eyes hard as he glared into Asuka's own, making it clear that if she wanted to get to Lelouch, she'd have to go through HIM "I won't let you two start fighting for no reason."

"He's a rider." Asuka countered, her tone as cool as ever, though Lelouch noticed a hint of hesitation that hadn't been there earlier, even as she glared at him over the shorter teen's shoulder "That's reason enough."

"I won't let you!" Judai persisted, stepping back into Asuka's field of vision, keeping her eyes on him, his own eyes brimming with determined defiance as he held his arms wide "This isn't what Hibiki-san wanted!"

"Just what was it that this Koyo Hibiki wanted to achieve?" Lelouch asked suddenly, looking between the two, deciding that perhaps it was time to defuse the situation before Judai was put in harms way "From the sound of it, it was too great a task to attempt alone."

"Hibiki-san was trying to end everything." Asuka spoke up, eyeing the purple-eyed teen warily as she lowered her deck grudgingly, much to Judai's relief "Apparently, in the Mirror World there's a Core Mirror that creates the monsters."

"I see…" Lelouch muttered, the elder teen's tone calculative as he stroked his chin, one hand supporting his elbow as the local riders looked on warily "So he was trying to put an end to things at the source…"

"So that means…!" Judai reasoned, his eyes widening in understanding as he looked between Lelouch and Asuka, the latter of whom seemed torn between anger at herself for letting so much out, and uncertainty, as it clearly gave Judai some hint of how to grant his predecessor's dying wish "If we can destroy that mirror we can-!"

"You can't." a crass, cold voice countered, cutting the brunet off mid-sentance. The trio turned, Lelouch's brows narrowing as he espied a young man with spiky black hair, around Judai's age, dressed in a black shirt, jeans and leather trench coat walking towards them, a scowl on his face.

"Manjoume…" Judai wondered, the startled brunet and Asuka looking up at the black clad teen in surprise, clearly not expecting to run into him here, even as Lelouch quirked an eyebrow at them in disbelief. Just how many Riders was he going to bump into today?

"That's Manjoume-SAN to you, Slacker." The black clad teen snapped, glaring heatedly at Judai for his lack of formality, scoffing as the brunet grinned apologetically, before turning t Lelouch, giving the elder teen a brief once over "Heh, so you're the new Rider are you?"

"And if I am?" Lelouch asked, quirking one regal brow inquisitively, as if daring the younger teen to try and start something. The two of them matched glares for a moment, the tension so thick that Judai refelxively stepped closer to Asuka, who didn't seemed to mind in the slightest, only for Manjoume to snort and look away first, sneering at Judai.

"If you're planning to pick up where Hibiki left off, then forget it." He muttered derisively "The Core Mirror is protected by monsters, hordes of 'em." He scowled at the brunet "If Koyo Hibiki couldn't get past them, what makes you think YOU stand a chance in hell?"

"Like that's gonna stop me!" Judai insisted, getting in the new arrival's face, even as Asuka held him back with a hand on his shoulder "So what if I can't do it alone, I'm sure I can find some other riders to help out!"

"So you're gonna go looking for comrades?" Manjoume asked, snorting derisively, even as he looked over at Asuka, only to avert his eyes from her pointed look "Forget it, you really think they're gonna listen to a slacker like you, who doesn't even know their reasons for joining up?"

"Like I care!" Judai countered, waving his arm to the side, missing the look on Asuka's face at his casual dismissal of the other rider's reasons for fighting "No matter what their reasons, I won't just let them carry on killing each other! Nothing's worth killing another person for!"

* * *

As Judai calms down...

"Judai…" Asuka sighed, the female rider shaking her head exasperatedly at the shorter teen's stubborn streak "It's not that I don't understand what you're getting at…but the other riders have their reasons for taking part. Even Koyo did, before he tried to end it."

"Then I'll just convince them that their reasons are wrong!" Judai persisted, the red-clad brunet clenching a fist as his eyes ignited with blazing with determination, earning a quirked brow from Lelouch, a sweatdrop fro Asuka, and a derisive scoff from Manjoume.

"Sure you will…" the black-clad teen muttered, shaking his head in disdain "You even know WHO the other riders are, slacker?" he smirked as Judai faltered "Thought so, you've only been at it for a month now, other than Asuka, Chronos and myself, you haven't met any other riders."

"Not true!" Judai countered, the brunet's eyes flashing in defiance "I met Lelouch-san earlier today!" he reminded the teen, pointing at the Passing-Through Rider in question, only to falter slightly and avert his gaze "And…I ran into Viper not long after I started."

"Viper?" Manjoume repeated sharply, the black-clad teen shuddering grimly at the mention of the most bloodthirsty of the Riders, before shaking himself with a derisive snort "Good luck getting THAT Psycho to listen."

"Maybe he won't have to…" Lelouch countered, the elder teen reaching into his jacket and pulling out the sheet of paper he'd received from Abyss earlier that morning "When I first arried in town, another Rider gave me this."

"A list of names?" Asuka wondered, the female Rider accepting the list from the elder teen with a confused frown, which quickly changed to a look of shock as she saw her own name among those listed "What the? Is this…?"

"Looks like it." Lelouch reasoned, the teen taking the paper back from the unresisting Rider's hands as he spoke "If my guess is right…" the teen mused, running his eyes over the local Riders as he held the paper aloft "Then every single name on that list is a Rider."

"Let me see that!" Manjoume demanded, the black-clad teen's eyes widening with alarm at this threat to their identities, only to snarl as Lelouch side-stepped his clumsy grab, glaring at the elder teen in suspicion "Where'd you get that?"

"From a Rider calling himself Abyss." Lelouch replied calmly, only to quirk an brow as the local riders looked between themselves in confusion "I'm guessing from your reactions that he's not an acquaintance then."

"I don't recall anyone going by that name." Asuka admitted, the female Rider shaking her head with a frown, her features a mixture of puzzlement and concern at the idea of some unknown Rider knowing her identity "What'd he look like?"

"Taller than you or me." Lelouch described carefully, raising his hand for emphasis "His armor's light blue and silver with a shark theme." he nodded towards the water for emphasis "His Contract beast appears to be some sort of giant shark."

"Sounds nasty…" Judai muttered, the red-clad brunet shivering at the idea of going up against something like that, already imagining himself being eaten alive by some oversized Jaws wannabe. He could hear the theme music now…

"Well I've never heard of him, and I've fought almost all the others still in play." Manjoume muttered, the black-clad teen's tone suspicious as he eyed the list held in Lelouch's hand "You think his name's on there too?"

"I doubt it." Asuka reasoned, the female Rider tapping crossing her arms beneath her breasts as she held a finger in the air for emphasis "If this guy was gathering Intel on the rest of us, he wouldn't just leave his name where someone else could find it."

"Which means we've someone other than Viper to worry about." Lelouch deduced, the elder teen noting all three of the local rider's discomfort at this ominous statement "Still, at least this'll make recruiting them easier."

"Yeah well count me out!" Manjoume muttered, the moody teen growling to himself as he turned his back on the group, waving a hand over his shoulder mockingly "I'm in this fight for myself! I don't need people dragging me down."

"Who's next on the list?" Asuka asked, ignoring Manjoume as she turned to Lelouch, who quirked an eyebrow at her "Don't get me wrong. I'm NOT helping you, but if there's a way to learn more about the other riders, I'd be an idiot to pass it off."

"A woman after my own heart." Lelouch muttered wryly, chuckling as this earned him little more than a quirked brow from the female Rider, even as Judai blinked between them in adorable confusion "Let's see…" the Passing-Through Rider muttered, running his eyes over the sheet, coming to a halt at the name that was directly under Chronos "Shoji Manjoume."

"WHAT?" Manjoume roared, the black-clad teen standing ramrod straight, before rounding on the Lelouch, his eyes wide with shock, disbelief, and growing anger as the trio blinked at him in surprise "There's no way…He CAN'T be a rider!"

"Says so right here." Lelouch countered, the Passing-Through Rider tapping the list for emphasis, holding it between thumb and forefinger temptingly, as if daring the younger teen to try and snatch it, not that he'd let him get CLOSE "Judging by your reaction, I'd say you know him?"

"He's Jun's older brother." Asuka explained, rolling her eyes in response to the black-clad teen's glare at her using his first name without permission "He's the head of the Manjoume Conglomerate, biggest industry next to Kaiba-Corp and I2 around these parts."

"Sibling rivalry is it?" Lelouch deduced, though after noticing the younger Manjoume's rising ire, the teen seething, his fists clenched so tight they were starting to bleed, found himself reconsidering the assessmentthat to all-out warfare "Think he'll listen to reason?"

"As if!" Manjoume snarled, turning on his heel and marching off "That guy wouldn't help anyone out unless it benefitted him personally!"

* * *

As Manjoume Storms off...

"I'm guessing there's no love lost between those two?" Lelouch noted wryly, the Passing-Through Rider watching Manjoume storm off, the younger teen's vehement curses, quite colorful ones too, fading along with his form into the distance.

"Manjoume's family situation is…complicated." Asuka admitted hesitantly, "He's the youngest of three brothers. The eldest was a politician, he ran for office several times, but he was murdered a few weeks ago just before he was elected."

"And seeing as how this Shoji's an up-and-coming business mogul," Lelouch mused, the elder teen holding his chin in understanding "I can imagine that this put Jun-san under a bit of peer preassure growing up."

"Try a metric ton…" Asuka muttered, crossing her arms with a sigh "His old man's one of those types that believes might makes right, but he's getting on in years and wants to determine who takes over as head of the family." She shook her head in disgust "So naturally, he pits his sons against one another, saying that the one who can improve the family's power the most can become head."

"Well that explains HIS reasons for becoming a rider at least." Lelouch mused, shaking his head to rid himself of the dark images of a tall, bearded man with his hair in ruffles, and the feelings of resentment that came with them "But what about yourself?"

Asuka flinched, looking away from the duo as she held her elbow, the other arm flat against her side, fist clenched. "It's…personal…" she muttered, refusing to elaborate as she turned on her heel "I'm outta here." she muttered, pausing briefly, before reaching into her pocket and tossing a piece of card to Judai "Let me know if you make any headway, though I can't promise I'll help out."

"Asuka-san…!" Judai exclaimed, looking up from the card, which Lelouch deduced had the girl's number recorded on it, to beam at the taller teen in wonderment, only for her to walk off, the red-clad teen's eyes locked onto her retreating back.

"Looks like you've got quite the way with ladies yourself." Lelouch mused, smirking at Judai as he plucked the card from the teen's fingers, noting it had the Female Rider's mobile number, and that of a hair salon printed on it, even as Judai sputtered incoherently.

"I-it's not like that!" Judai insisted, his features red as he waved his hands before him, Lelouch's knowing smirk making him all the more flustered "A-anyway!" he coughed, snatching the card back and putting his hands behind his head "What do we do now? Should we look up this Shoji guy?"

"All in good time." Lelouch assured the rider, folding the list of names and tucking it back into his jacket, "But first," he muttered, shaking his head with a long-suffering sighed as he tucked his hands into his pockets and turned back towards Bokuto Station, which had finally started to calm down "We go back and bail Shinji out of prison. Something tells me we're going to need all the manpower we can spare."

* * *

And so it begins...

Lelouch: Seriously, It's like a Rider two-for-one sale out here!

Ghost Nappa: Ooh! Ooh! Can I have the blue one?

Lelouch: No.

GN: Awww...

Kyugan: Oh c'mon, it's not so bad.

Lelouch: I've basically walked into the middle of a Rider Free-For-All, how can this not be bad?

Kyugan: Well, as you said, it's a free for all.

Lelouch: So?

Kyugan: Think about all the fun you vcan having playing them against one another.

Lelouch: *...slowly does a Grinch Smile*

Shinji: *blinks* I didn't know you listened to Lonely Island, Kyugan-san.

GN: *Watching Sixth sense* I feel your paaaaiiin...

______

Next Time, on Code Decade:

_The Search for Allies..._

Judai: Let's fight together to finish this! If we work together, we can end the nightmare of the Mirror World and the Rider Battle!

Shoji: That's the second time someone's come before me with that proposal…can't say it's gotten any more appealing since then.

_Is off to a rocky start._

Shoji: It's the law of the jungle kid...Kill or be killed.

Judai: I can see why Manjoume doesn't get along with him!

_Rumours Spread..._

Manjoume: Not that I think they've a chance in hell, but I thought I'd let you know.

?: So you're saying you want me to team up with you to protect the mirror world?

_Causing dissention in the ranks._

?: I became a Rider for my own reasons

Manjoume: You're just gonna throw your dream aside to help that slacker get himself killed like Hibiki?

_A battle against a common foe..._

Manjoume: Huh…looks like you're not the only rider that can pull off wearing pink Misawa.

Decade: It's not Pink DAMMIT!

_Ends with Tragic results._

?: Manjoume?

?: So my little brother's in on this is he?

_For the greatest enemy..._

?: Manjoume...watch out...brother...

Manjoume: Don't tell me…that bastard Shoji's VERDE?

_Is the one you don't see coming._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	18. Ryuki GX3

Sorry for taking so long, but' I've been down with a cold recently and am still actually very sick. On tiop of that, I am depressed ebcause most of the episodes for KR decade have been taken off youtube (if not all). Updates will be slow for a while even after recovery, as I'm working on my Masters degree and that takes a lot of concentration.

Shinji: Uh lelouch, we get the message already.

Lelouch: *Still Grinch smiling* I can't help it! my face is stuck!

Vegeta: Throw dog biscuits at him

Hikari: how will THAT help?

Vegeta: I'll find it HI-larious

Ghost Nappa: Someone saw the new Team Three Star Episode!

Kyugan: It's team Four Star and yes, yes i did, it's epic.

This chapter is brought to you by space Australia, home of Space Crocodile Dundee.

Jeice: Croikey!

* * *

Rider Battle.

"I can't believe you left me in there…" Shinji muttered, the last Ikari pouting stubbornly as he walked out of Bokuto Police station, one hand idly rubbing lipstick off his cheek, as Aoi had been quite sad about seeing 'such a cutie' leave.

"I can't believe you let yourself get caught." Lelouch muttered, shaking his head in bewilderment as he glared at the teen in mock anger. It had taken an entire day to process the teen's release, and Lelouch suspected it may have taken longer if he hadn't 'convinced' the chief to speed things up a bit, and erase all records of the three riders ever setting foot in the station. "That bail's coming out of your wages, just so you know."

"I get paid now?" Shinji wondered, the younger Rider looking up at the elder teen in confusion, an equally confused Judai looking between them as they walked round to the parking lot, where the duo's bikes were stashed "Since when?"

"Since you and Hikari are going to be working at Osiris Journal while Judai and I try to keep the other Riders from killing each other." Lelouch explained, waving a copy of the list of names in Shinji's face at the teen's look of shock "Long story, explain later, right now, I need you to dig up whatever info the journal can find on these guys."

"R-right…" Shinji stammered, the younger Rider accepting the list from the elder, running his eyes over the names uncertainly, even as Lelouch and Judai mounted their bikes "What are you going to do?"

"Me?" Lelouch asked, smirking wryly as he mounted the machine Decader, Judai clambering onto his Honda as he spoke "I'm going to crash a board meeting."

And with that the pair rode off, leaving a highly confused Shinji staring after them. "How am I supposed to get there?" the teen wondered, sweat dropping, as Lelouch had neglected to inform him exactly WHERE Osiris Journal was.

"Hey, it's the kid!" a voice noted, the teen looking round to see the two police women that had brought him in looking at him from inside their patrol car "What's the matter cutie?" the brunet asked with a grin "Need a lift?"

"Natsumi!" the one with a ponytail chastised, looking at her partner disapprovingly, before turning back to smile reassuringly at the last Ikari as the brunet got out to open the back seat of their patrol car "C'mon, we'll give you a ride."

'Why do I have a bad feeling about this?' Shinji wondered, even as the brunet shoved him into the back seat, before clambering in and buckling up as the one with the ponytail revved the engine, an all-too-familiar grin on her face 'Oh God! It's like another Misato-san!'

"YEEEHAW!" Natsumi cheered, as the patrol car took off, performing a wheelie out of the station, Shinji's terrified cries following in its wake.

* * *

_Manjoume Zaibatsu..._

"Is this all the documentation for the day?" Shoji Manjoume demanded, the goatee sporting business mogul looking over the display on his laptop as he communed with his division heads over a wireless relay "I see…is there any new business?"

"Sir?" a dazed voice interrupted, the dark haired business mogul scowling as his secretary entered, having left explicit instructions that he was not to be disturbed for ANYTHING "Two young men to see you…"

"I thought I told you that I was NOT to be disturbed." He reminded the woman, wondering whether he should dock her pay or fire her outright for this blunder, only to blink as two teens pushed past the woman "What the hell?"

"Thank you, we'll take it from here." The taller of the two teens assured the secretary, smiling cryptically as he guided her out the door with a hand on her back "See to it that we're not disturbed, would you?"

_"Yes…my Lord…"_ the woman mumbled in a trance, Shoji blinking, as he wasn't aware the woman spoke English, before scowling at the duo as they came to stand at the edge of the massive meeting table.

"We should be secure now." The purple-eyed teen noted, pressing a switch that caused the shutters to close automatically "I…convinced the security teams to keep anyone from coming near this room. Naturally this includes themselves."

"Who are you?" Shoji asked, internally impressed with the teen's nerve, though he kept such emotions to himself as he sat in his chair at the head of the table, displaying only his emotionless 'business face' "What are you here for?"

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider." Lelouch explained, smirking as Jun's elder sibling's eyes widened at the revelation, even as Judai remained silent "As for why we're here…we have a business proposition for you."

"Indeed?" Shoji asked, intrigued despite himself, the elder Manjoume sitting back in his chair, his fingers steepled before him as he glanced at the two before him "Let me guess…you wish to propose an alliance?"

"Y-yes!" Judai agreed after a moment's hesitation, speaking into a microphone at the end of the table "Let's fight together to finish this! If we work together, we can end the nightmare of the Mirror World and the Rider Battle!"

"An end to the battle huh?" Shoji mused, Lelouch's eyes narrowing at the dark amusement in the man's tone as he snorted "That's the second time someone's come before me with that proposal…can't say it's gotten any more appealing since then."

"I assume you're referring to the late Koyo Hibiki." Lelouch noted offhandedly, earning a sharp look from the elder Manjoume, and a gasp of surprise from Judai "I'm assuming, therefore, that you turned him down?"

"Looks like I can drop the act…" Shoji scoffed, shaking his head as he leant forward, glaring at the duo with a confident sneer "I'll admit you've got some stones brat, walking in here and messing with my employees, but as I told that dreamer Hibiki, the only thing I fight for is power!"

"One would think…" Lelouch opined, his gaze never leaving the mogul's, even as he gestured for Judai to shut up "That as the head of one of the most powerful conglomerate's in the world, you'd have more than enough power as is."

"This?" Shoji scoffed, gesturing around the room with a dismissive wave "This is just something I acquired from the old man…it's nothing compared to the power I've experienced from the Rider Battle!"

He got to his feet, walking up to the curtains and yanking them open to sneer down at the city below "Right now, society's just like the battle between the Riders," he reasoned, a dark smirk on his face "In order to succeed, you have to crush everyone else beneath your feet!"

"But people are dying!" Judai insisted, the red-clad brunet rising from his chair, even as Lelouch placed a restraining hand on his shoulder "What's the point of all that power if it costs people their lives?"

"It's the law of the jungle kid." Shoji sneered, the eklder Manjoume turning to face the duo with a predatory smile "Kill or be killed, only difference is that the plant life's replaced with concrete and fiber optics."

"I can see we're wasting our time here…" Lelouch muttered, the Passing Through Rider's purple eyes never leaving the elder Manjoume's as he kept his grip on Judai's shoulder "We'll see ourselves out."

"And tell that useless secretary to get in here on the way." Shoji ordered, the dark-cl;ad business Mogul sinking back into his reclining chair with a sickening sneer "It's time for her…ORAL report."

Judai's face turned livid, and it took a sharp look from Lelouch to keep the teen from going for his deck, as it was most likely what the mogul was aiming for, the duo marching past the dazed guards as they came to the woman's desk, even as she looked up at them in confusion. "If I were you, ma'am, I'd seek out a better field of employment." Lelouch offered sagely, looking her in the eye, only to blink as she smiled sadly, a long-suffering expression on her face.

"Were it so easy…" she muttered, even as she rose to answer Shoji's bidding, her shoulders slumped in resignation.

* * *

_Outside the building..._

"What a jerk-hole!" Judai swore, the red-clad brunet struggling to reign in his disgust as the two teens marched out of the Manjoume Zaibatsu building "I can see why Manjoume doesn't get along with him!"

"It certainly proves the old adage that 'opposite's attract' works both ways, doesn't it?" Lelouch mused, shaking his head, internally wishing he'd Rider Kicked the bastard out a window. It might not have been conductive towards solving the problem…but it would've been SO worth it.

Judai was about to agree when his cell went off, the teen whipping it out to find the caller was Osiris Journal, before pressing it to his ear "Hello?" he asked, blinking in confusion, before turning to Lelouch "It's for you."

"Shinji." Lelouch greeted, knowing without question that it would be the last ikari, the Passing Through Rider pressing the phone to his ear "Shoji's a bust." he relayed for the teen's benefit, his tone impatient "What've you got?"

"Daichi Misawa." The last Ikari replied over the line "According to this he's a Tokyo University graduate." The clacking of a keyboard sounded in the background "According to this, he's published a thesis on peaceful alternatives to fighting under the pseudonym 'Bastion Misawa'."

"Sounds like we might have our first recruit." Lelouch noted, the elder Rider smirking as he turned to Judai, the red-clad Brunet perking up slightly at the first bit of good news they'd had all day, "Where is he?"

"His address is listed, but according to this he normally helps oversee several youth groups." Shinji replied "Your best bet would be to try Domino park."

* * *

_Domino Park... _

"Close the Mirror World?" Daichi Misawa repeated, looking up at Manjoume Jun in confusion, the black-clad teen standing with his arms crossed, looking down at him from atop the steps leading to the baseball field.

"Yeah, remember that slacker I told you about that took Koyo Hibiki's place?" Manjoume asked, scoffing at the memory "Well he's teamed up with this weirdo that showed up the other day, apparently they're trying to recruit riders to help 'em out." He scoffed dismissively "Not that I think they've a chance in hell, but I thought I'd let you know…on the off chance."

"So you're saying you want me to team up with you to protect the mirror world?" Daichi deduced, handsome features marred with a frown as he turned to face the dark-clad teen "In that case, I'm afraid I must refuse."

"What?" Manjoume stammered, the trench-coat sporting teen's eyes widening in confusion, only to narrow in susopicion as he frowned down at the other rider, "What're you talking about?" he demanded, uncrossing his arms as he spoke.

"Like you, I became a Rider for my own reasons," Daichi admitted, his tone grim as he recalled the countless battles he'd survived "However, unlike you, I didn't become a rider for myself, but to make this world a better place." He shook his head "So long as the mirror world, and the monsters that dwell within it exist…that won't happen."

"So what're you going to do?" Manjoume asked, the Dark Clad teen looking down at the other Rider with a scowl on his face "You're just gonna throw your dream aside to help that slacker get himself killed like Hibiki?"

"Don't go killing us off just yet." A voice called out, the Riders whipping round to find Lelouch and Judai walking towards them, the elder teen smirking wryly "You were right about your brother…now there's someone ill suited to be a rider."

"I'm guessing he gave you the same answer I did." Manjoume snorted, scowling at the pair as they came to a halt before him "Much as I hate to admit it, the man might be a world class jerk, but he's no idiot."

"Who you calling an idiot?" Judai demanded hotly, advancing angrily, only to wince, all four riders looking around as the call of the Mirror World sounded, all four racing off as a woman's scream tore through the air.

"Over there!" Daichi yelled, the elder rider pointing towards a tall, red haired young woman, her hair fashioned in downward spikes, who was backing away from a Sheerghost with a look of terror on her face.

Manjoume, letting out a fierce roar, tackled the monster, Daichi and Lelouch lining up in front of the teen, even as Judai knelt down to check on her.

"Junko-san! Are you oaky?" the red-clad brunet asked, recognizing the girl as one of Asuka's friends, pulling the spider thread from around the stunned girl's neck, before helping her to her feet "C'mon, you gotta get outta here!"

"Judai-kun…" the girl stammered, looking up as Jun backed towards them, her features paling as the monster got to its feet, the redhead turning on her heel and running of even as the four teens summoned their respective belts.

**"Kamen Ride:…"** the Decadriver declared, the local riders slid their decks into their belts with a united cry of "Henshin!" even as Lelouch slammed the levers into place **"DECADE!"**

The nine spectral images of the rider crests converged on the purple-eyed teen, even as the local riders were covered by three, reflective images of their armor, which solidified to reveal Kamen Riders Ryuki, Knight and Raia, even as the Lelouch completed his transformation into Decade.

"Huh…" Kamen Rider Knight noted, inclining his head towards the passing through Rider "Looks like you're not the only rider that can pull off wearing pink Misawa..." the bat Rider noted mockingly, before leading the charge against the monster with a roar.

"It's not pink dammit…!" Decade muttered, glaring at the bat-motif Rider in annoyance, before reaching for the Ridebooker, converting it to sword mode as he charged the Mirror Monster, slashing at its back to divert its attention, allowing Ryuki to deliver a punishing kick to its unprotected flank.

"I feel where you're coming from." Raia admitted with grim amusement, even as he blocked a blow with his Visor, the stingray like gauntlet acting as a shield as he backhanded the monster "Still, it's not like anyone's watching, right?"

Decade's reply was cut off as an armored figure leapt out from the sidelines, grabbing Raia by the tendril attached to his helmet, before throwing him to the side, away from the others.

The new Rider, for indeed that was what the assailant was, was dressed in green and silver armor with a black bodysuit underneath. The armor had a vaguely reptilian design, the helmet reminding the group of a chameleon with the eye adornments, which coincided with the golden chameleon crest on his deck.

"Misawa!" Knight called out, only to curse as several Gelnewts joined the fray, drawn by the sounds of battle "Dammit! Hang on!"

* * *

_With Raia..._

"Unhand me!" Raia demanded, the Stingray Rider struggling to break free of the Chameleon Rider's hold as he watched his comrades struggle with the new Mirror Monsters "They need our help!"

"Forget about the monsters…" Verde countered, the Chameleon Rider's tone laced with dark amusement as he forced Raia back with one hand, "Don't forget, in this game, the Riders' true enemy are other Riders!"

So saying, he socked the pink rider across the face with a savage hook, sending Raia sprawling across the ground, before reaching down to his deck and drawing a card, slotting it into the tongue-like slot which retracted to the Visor on his belt.

**"Clear Vent!"** the visor declared, the chameleon rider standing with his arms spread wide, as if inviting the recovered Raia to attack him, only to vanish into thin air, Raia's retaliatory blow missing by a mile as the confused rider pulled up short.

"Over here!" Verde's voice called out, Raia spinning round, only to yelp as something like an armored, bladed yo-yo slammed into him, apparently from all directions, forcing him to the ground once again.

"This is too easy…" Verde scoffed, backing off, hiding behind the stairs as his Clear Vent wore off, smirking behind his mask as he eyed the wounded rider "almost boring really…" he smirked as he eyed the trio of riders holding their own against the monsters, Knight in particular "Let's put an end to that…"

**"Copy Vent!"** the clear Visor called out, a spectral image of Knight, his Sword Vent in hand, superimposing itself over Verde, who nodded to himself before advancing on Raia, who was readying a card.

"Manjoume?" Raia called out, Verde tensing, wondering how on earth his identity had been discovered, only to blink as the pink rider relaxed "Where is he? Did you see where that Chameleon guy went?"

"Yeah…" Verde replied, lashing out with Knight's sword Vent, stabbing Raia in the stomach, the pink rider doubling over, only to go crashing backwards from a kick to the chest, the chameleon rider smirking down at his prey as the Copy Vent wore off. "So my little brother's in on this is he?" he asked, snorting in amazement at fate's ironic sense of humor, Raia looking on in stunned confusion as he drew another card from his deck "Well that makes this all the more interesting…the Rider Battle will settle the manner of succession!"

**"Final Vent!" **the clear visor declared, a bipedal chameleon monster fading into view on a nearby rooftop, it's massive tongue lashing out into the air, even as Verde leapt up to meet it. The monster's tongue looped in midair, wrapping around the rider's ankles as he swung at Raia like a pendulum, slamming into him and latching on, the two of them flipping into the air, the tongue releasing at the last moment, even as Verde slammed Raia's head into the ground with a savage pile-driver.

"That's one down." Verde scoffed, releasing Raia's legs and saluting the fallen Rider mockingly as he lay prone on the floor "Thanks for the Intel pinky, I'll be sure to save Jun for last…"

And with that he walked off, laughing all the while, leaving Raia where he'd fallen as the others finally came to his aid.

* * *

_As Verde Clears off... _

"Misawa-san!" Ryuki called out, the Dragon Rider racing around the corner just in time to see the Stingray Rider collapse on his back "NO!" he yelled, tossing his Sword aside, dropping to his knees and scooping the fallen rider into his arms, tenderly supporting his head "Hang in there…what happened?"

"V…Verde…" Raia coughed, his voice weak, blood trailing from the grills in his helmet from his impact with the ground, the Stingray Rider looking up at his comrades as they crowded round to examine him "Ambushed…"

"That chameleon bastard!" Knight snarled, the Bat Rider glaring around at their surroundings in a vain hope of spotting the Chameleon Rider sneaking off "Probably followed us here, hoping to pick us off!"

"M…Manjoume…" Raia called out, the Stingray Rider ignoring Ryuki's urgings to save his strength as he reached out for the Bat Rider with one trembling hand "W…watch out…Verde…brother…"

"Brother?" Knight repeated, the Bat Rider tensing suddenly as he knelt down next to the fallen rider, grabbing him by the front of his armor "Oi! Stay with me Misawa!" he urged, shaking the armor despite Ryuki's cries to stop "Don't tell me…that bastard Shoji's VERDE?"

But Raia's head rolled back, the Rider letting loose a final breath as he went still, his hand dropping limply to the ground as the Riders stood around him, stunned to silence.

* * *

_Later..._

"What do you plan to do?" Lelouch asked, looking on as the ambulance carrying Misawa's corpse disappeared, standing next to a downcast Judai and a grim faced Manjoume "Misawa was your friend wasn't he?"

"We weren't friends." Manjoume countered, his tone harsher than normal as he stood with his arms crossed, eyes tracking the retreating ambulance "He was just one of the few riders I could stomach to be around." His eyes narrowed "What pisses me off is that that bastard Shoji really IS a rider…"

"You're elder brother I assume?" Lelouch reasoned, ignoring the glare the younger rider leveled in his general direction "From what you told me, Verde's been in the game almost as long as you have…I'm surprised the two of you never clicked as to who you were."

"My brothers and I never talked." Manjoume muttered, as if that explained everything, before turning on his heel and marching off "Still, as much as I hate to admit it, that's one more Rider out of the way."

"How can you say that?" Judai demanded, the red-clad brunet rounding on the black-clad teen with a look of furious disbelief "Misawa-san…he was your friend wasn't he? Don't you CARE that he was just murdered in front of you?"

"Seems you weren't paying attention as usual, Slacker." Manjoume scoffed, eyeing the teen out the corner of his eyes as he looked over his shoulder "Misawa and I weren't friends…in fact, from the moment we became riders, he and I were enemies."

"You bastard…" Judai growled, his fists clenching at his sides even as Manjoume stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and walked off with a snort "You really are the worst!" Judai exclaimed, stepping forward with a fist raised "I oughta-!"

"Judai…" Lelouch cautioned, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder as he watched Manjoume walk off, his eyes noting the tenseness of the younger teen's shoulders "Let it go."

Judai blinked, only to tsk, shrugging off the elder teen's grip as he glared into a nearby fountain, Raia's deck held tightly in his hands "I'm gonna put a stop to this battle…I SWEAR it!"

* * *

_Manjoume Zaibatsu, Night... _

"Well this is a surprise…" Shoji muttered, the bearded business mogul smirking to himself as he sat behind his massive conference table once again as his little brother stormed in "To what do I owe the…pleasure...of this visit?"

"Cut the crap!" Jun snarled, the younger Manjoume glaring across the table at his elder brother, slapping a hand against it for emphasis when the man smirked at him "You bastard, when in the hell did you become a Rider?"

"Took you long enough to figure it out…" the elder Manjoume scoffed, shaking his head in wry bemusement as he lounged back in his chair "But really, what does it matter either way? In a way, this is a bonus…" he inclined his head to one of the other chairs that lined the sides of the table "wouldn't you agree, Chronos?"

"_Si, Signor_ Manjoume." A nasal voice agreed, Jun whipping round to find Chronos de Medici sitting across from him, a cup of Expresso in hand, a third figure leaning against the darkened wall, his features hidden.

"Bonus?" Jun repeated, the younger Manjoume eyeing the other riders warily, for indeed that had to be what the shadowy figure was, before glaring at his elder sibling "What' in the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about putting an end to a certain pair of meddling brats that want to stop the Rider Battle." Shoji replied, smirking as Jun tensed at his words "Ah, I see you know who I'm talking about. That makes it easier."

"Not necessarily…" Chronos countered, sipping his Expresso with his pinky raised delicately "_Si, Signor_ Judai is a relative _Bambina_ to in the Rider Battle." he held up a finger "But he's VERY skilled, and has _il Diavolo's_ own luck."

"And then there's that new guy…" the darkened figure muttered, the Manjoume brothers' features narrowing as they frowned at the memory of the purple eyed teen "I did some background checks, but he's either been living off the grid, or he's good at covering his tracks."

"He did something weird to my security detail and secretary." Shoji admitted, earning a quirked eyebrow from Jun "And his armor looks different from the ones we use." He shook his head, his confident smirk restored as he leant back "In any case, I'm sure no-one here wants to see the Battle brought to an end without getting what they want, so I suggest a…Temporary Truce, until those interlopers are dealt with."

_"Tutti per Uno e Uno per Tutti_, is it?" Chronos asked, a coy smile on his bony features as he set his Expresso down and clasped his hands "_Va bene, _it'll certainly help me to settle accounts with _Signor_ Judai once and for all."

"Leave the brat to me, Chronos." The shadowy figure countered, stepping away from the wall with a confident step "I've been keeping tabs on him for a while now, I'll take him out before he can even think to recruit anyone else."

"_Stai bene_…"Chronos agreed, the overly effeminate lawyer waving dismissively at the shadowy figure as he took another sip of his Expresso "_Buona Fortuna Signore…_just make sure you don't underestimate him."

"I'm not YOU." The shadowy figure growled, glaring at the Italian Rider, his hidden features lined with disdain as he turned on his heel and marched out of the meeting room, missing the look in Chronos' eyes as the Lawyer watched him leave.

"You in too, little brother?" Shoji asked, ignoring the banter between the other riders as he turning to eye the younger Manjoume "Four heads work better than one," he smirked "at the very least you won't have to worry about me stabbing you in the back until those losers are dealt with."

Jun scowled, glaring at his brother uncertainly, even as the memory of his arguments with Judai rose to the fore.

* * *

And the plot thickens.

Lelouch: Why does EVERYONE think it's pink?

Shinji: Misato thought it was a light purple.

Lelouch: Misato also thinks Pen-Pen is the Ambassador for the Penguin Nation when she's had one too many beers.

Shinji: *Looking shifty*Eheheh...yeah...

Kyugan: Uh guys? As awesome as they are, Ix-nay on the imeloops-tay, alright?

Vegeta: Why the hell am I in a Tuxedo?

Captain Ginyu: *In a sailor suit* In the name of Lord Frieza!

Ginyu force: Likewise: WE SHALL PUNISH YOU!

Kyugan: Awfully ZARBON in here...

Vegeta: ...*Blood trailing from the eyes, ears and nose...*

Gohan: OH! Now I get it!

Vegeta: *Dark voice* _**NO...**_

Ghost Nappa: *dressed as mini-moon* I think pure rage, broke Vegeta.

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_The Search continues..._

Judai: GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL-!

_With renewed Vigor._

Daitokuji: A detective from Police HQ wants a word with you and Judai-kun.

_A helping hand..._

Detective: I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help…

_Hides hidden claws._

?: You're just so pathetic it's pitiful.

An alliance of evil...

Magnuvisor: **SHOOT VENT!**

Decade: Oh you GOTTA be SHITTING ME!

_Threatens to bring the journey to an end._

?: Hey, finish this brat off already will ya?

Verde: With Pleasure!

_An unlikely Ally..._

Ohja: Not so tough now, are you detective?

Ryuki: Oh crap not HIM...

_Buys some time._

Verde: Finish him off

Knight: The hell? Do your own dirty work!

_But the final blow..._

Verde: If you can't even finish this loser off…then you can't call yourself a Rider.

Ryuki: M…Manjoume…you're kidding…right?

Darkvisor: **SWORD VENT!**

_Will decide the course of the war._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	19. Ryuki GX4

Kyugan: (over the sound of Vegeta massacring the Frieza Senshi* Still working on my masters, so sorry for late upload.

Shinji: Should you really be doing this then?

Lelouch: hey, gotta break in that new laptop someho.

Ghost Nappa: Ah...memory space.

* * *

Backstabbers.

It was with a subdued air that Lelouch and Judai returned to Osiris Journal, the brunet's foul mood raising several questions from the staff, particularly a concerned Rei, only for the teen to march off, ignoring the girl's queries as to his health, Lelouch refusing to elaborate beyond a cryptic 'Bad Company', before deciding it was time to fall in for the day.

Fortunately for Lelouch, Shinji and Hikari, who realized too late that they didn't have anywhere to stay for the night, Daitokuji happened to own a small dormitory, not too far from the office, which apparently served as a secondary source of income for the man when the journal wasn't doing too well.

The Dormitory was run by a pleasant, pudgy older woman who went by the name of Tomé-san, who was quite pleased to admit such 'charming young men' even going so far as to give them a guided tour of the two-story structure, which was a lot better looking on the inside than it was on the outside, though that really wasn't saying much.

When the subject of rent was raised, the cheerful dorm-mistress was pleased to explain that Daitokuji, in an unusually innovative business venture, had included lodgings as part of his employee package, though Lelouch suspected this was merely a means to lower the amount of money he had to fork over to his employees in their paychecks.

However, the rooms were large, enough for three people at a time, with bunk beds, closets, and a small stove for cooking. Little more than modified student dorm rooms, in Lelouch and Shinji's opinion, hell the dorms at Kurenai Academy had been more spacious, However, the rooms came with running water and en-suite bathrooms, which Hikari, predictably, called dibs on first thing that morning, spending several hours getting ready while Lelouch and Shinji loitered outside, urging her to pick up the pace, to no avail.

"Seriously, what were you doing in there?" Lelouch muttered, the passing-through Rider eyeing the prim looking freckled teen out the corner out of his eyes as they walked into the Osiris office building, a full hour later than the elder teen had intended.

"Just drop it Lelouch-san." Shinji warned, the last Ikari knowing from first hand experience that no man, not even Gendo Ikari, had ever won this argument against a woman. It was simply an unwritten law of the universe, women got first dibs of the bathroom.

"I mean I'll admit that the curry Daitokuji sent round last night wasn't all that good" Lelouch muttered, apparently unheeding of his danger o unwilling to acknowledge it "but Shinji and I put away more than you did and WE didn't get the runs."

"BAKA!" Hikari cried, the freckled teen whipping round, her hand lashing out like a viper as she jabbed her thumb into the elder teen's neck, flushing in embarrassment as he collapsed against the wall, sowling even as he proceeded to laugh his head off "Just drop it already!"

"I warned you…" Shinji sighed, shaking his head as he watched his fellow survivor stomp off towards the Osiris Journal office, the last Ikari sticking around as he waited for Lelouch's cackles to stop, which took a lot longer than he expected. Apparently Hikari was getting better.

"That technique should be made illegal…" Lelouch growled, the passing-through Rider glaring down the hall after the freckeled class rep as he held a hand to his neck tentatively "seriously, doesn't this fall under 'assault in the workplace' or something?"

"Now, Now…" Shinji sighed, patting the elder teen on the back, trying to placate him as he pushed him in the direction of the Journal's office "C'mon, it's not like anyone was hurt, right?"

A cry of 'Look out!' interrupted the teen, Shinji blinking as Lelouch ducked, the last Ikari looking up just in time to spot the net stretched in front of the door to the office, before a black and white sphere socked him in the face.

* * *

_Osiris Journal office... _

"-!" Judai cried, the brunet photographer dressed in a red and white soccer outfit as he knelt dramatically on one of the desks, a startled looking Ayukawa and Hikari gaping at him in shock from the sidelines.

"What. The HELL. Is this?" Lelouch demanded, the annoyed elder Rider's brow twitching as he eyed the scene before him with more than a little annoyance, even as little Misato cupids encircled Shinji's head, cooing teasingly as he lay on the floor.

"Your guess is as good as ours." Miss Ayukawa admitted with a sweat drop, even as Rei tried to get Judai off the table, her hands wandering a little too far south to be professional "Judai-kun set all this up before we even got here…he said he's lost all his faith in humanity…"

"So he turned the office into a soccer field…WHY?" Lelouch demanded, quirking an eyebrow at this irrational turn of events, even as Rei finally convinced Judai to come down "Well?"

"When I was a kid, I used to be a soccer player…" Judai reasoned, looking a little flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck "I figured if I wanted to blow off some steam from what Manjoume said, I should just act like a kid and cut loose."

"That's sempai for you!" Rei cheered, the dark haired girl hugging the confused brunet around the neck, much to Ayukawa's amusement, the redhead chuckling knowingly to herself.

"What's so impressive about that?" Lelouch muttered, the elder teen shaking his head in bewilderment, even as Hikari tried to rouse Shinji from his daze, to little effect, as the Misato-cupids weren't surrendering their prize without a fight "I'm surprised the boss hasn't caught you at this…"

"Ah! Lamperouge-kun!" Daitokuji called out, Lelouch turning, only to gape at the sight of the editor walking in, his face mummified behind an umpire's mask, completely decked out in protective gear as he held his cat in one arm, the oversized feline sporting a football helmet with a colored visor, a cordless phone in his free hand "A detective from Police HQ wants a word with you and Judai-kun."

"Probably to do with a certain renegade striker." Lelouch muttered, smirking at Judai, who had the decency to flush, even as he struggled to shake Rei off, the girl having latched on like a limpet.

* * *

_later... _

"What do you think this detective wants?" Judai asked nervously, the younger Rider looking across at Lelouch in confusion as the two sat at a riverside café, waiting for the man to show up "You think it's to do with Viper busting out?"

"I doubt it." Lelouch countered, shaking his head as he flipped through the menu, ordering two iced teas for the pair before setting it aside "I convinced the Chief to 'forget' that we were ever involved with the break out, I even had him destroy all the records to the contrary."

"How'd you do that anyways?" Judai asked, looking up at the elder rider, his eyes shining with barely restrained curiosity "I mean, Aoi-san's a pretty tough nut to crack, even Daitokuji-sensei has a hard time getting anything out of her, and she's had a crush on him for a while now."

"I'm…not entirely certain myself…" Lelouch muttered, the elder teen frowning uncertainly as he covered his left eye tentatively with one hand "Sometimes…whenever I ask or order someone to do something, they just…do it, no questions asked."

"Whoa…" Judai gaped, the red-clad brunet looking up at the elder Rider in amazement only to perk up suddenly, his eyes widening in sudden realization as he punched his palm "Hey! Maybe you can use it to make the other Riders see reason!"

"I don't think so." Lelouch countered, shaking his head as he lowered his hand "For one, it only seems to work with direct eye contact, and after seeing my face, I doubt Shoji and the rest will take any chances letting me near them." He frowned "Second…I'm not entirely certain, but I think it can only be used a set number of times." He looked the teen in the eye for emphasis "Back when I suggested Shoji's secretary seek another line of work, I'd intended it as an indirect order…" he frowned, looking out towards the water "but she didn't react, which means either I can only use this ability so many times a day…or it can only be used on a person ONCE."

"Weird…" Judai muttered, shivering at this revelation as he eyed the elder Rider with a look of wonderment. He'd never met a person like Lelouch before, even AFTER he'd become a rider he'd been more focused with carrying out Koyo Hibiki's last wish and surviving attacks from other Riders to care much for their backgrounds.

But the purple-eyed teen just seemed so…mysterious at times. He'd just appeared, out of the blue, and offered his aid in bringing the battle to a close. He used a different rider system from the rest, and had weird abilities that defied reason, but at the same time, maintained an air of humanity that was humbling, almost.

"Judai Yuki?" a voice called out, the duo looking up in time to see a tall, blonde foreigner in a beige trench coat and pants, a navy-style cap on his head "From Osiris Journal?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" Judai replied with a grin, Lelouch rolling his eyes at the brunet's simplistic honesty, eyeing the tall man with a frown.

"Name's David Rabb," the foreigner introduced, removing his hat to reveal a handsome face with swept back blonde hair "I'm a detective assigned to the Domino precinct, glad you could make it."

"You said you wanted to speak with us?" Lelouch asked, looking on as the taller foreigner pulled up a chair without waiting to be offered one "If it's about what happened at Bokuto station…"

"You mean Viper, right?" the detective asked, smirking as Judai tensed, Lelouch's scowl deepening, even as he held up his hands "Relax, I'm not here about that…" he reached into his pocket, the duo's eyes widening as he pulled out an orange Rider deck "though I'm sure I'll have to deal with him at some point." His face turned serious "What I came here to ask you was whether it was true you'd found a way to end the Rider Battle."

"Why?" Judai asked, crossing his arms as he averted his gaze, an annoyed expression on his face as he huffed "Lemme guess, you've come to tell us to give it up, right?"

"Actually…" David countered, "I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help…" he smiled as Judai fell out of his chair in shock "If you'll have me that is?"

"Y-you serious?" Judai exclaimed, clambering off the floor with a look of shocked disbelief, which slowly turned to joy at David's uncertain nod "Heck Sure!" the brunet cheered, shaking the detective by the hand "Welcome to the team, Rabb-san!"

"Call me David." The Rider insisted with a small smile, shaking the teen's hand firmly once, before slipping free, turning his attention to a silent Lelouch "Something wrong?"

"Not really…" Lelouch assured the Rider, his features reserved "I was just wondering…where did you hear that we were trying to end the Rider Battle?"

"Chronos de Medici." David replied, earning a look of shock from Judai, and a quirked brow from Lelouch respectively "He and I've known each other since before we were Riders…he's represented several perps I've caught, got them off Scott-free." He shrugged, "Still, he mentioned it in passing when we bumped into each other after a court session yesterday, warned me that a 'Drop out boy' was gonna get himself killed."

"That's Chronos alright…" Judai muttered, scowling at the Italian's unwanted nickname for him as he slurped at his iced-tea, only to grin at the detective "Still, I'm glad that there are other Riders out there with their heads screwed on right…after Misawa-san…"

"Daichi Misawa, right?" David queried, picking up as Judai fell silent "Kamen Rider Raia…I'd heard that Verde finally got to him…" he eyed the crestfallen teen carefully from behind his arched hands "Were you friends?"

"I'd only met him yesterday… Judai countered, shaking his head "But…from what little I saw of him…I think he might've joined us if he'd been given the chance…"

"I don't doubt that…" David agreed, his tone low, Lelouch's eyes narrowing as he continued to eye the blonde detective from the side, only for all three to look up as the shrill, ear-splitting silent call of the mirror world sounded.

"No rest for the wicked…" David muttered, smirking to the younger Riders as all three of them rose to their feet "Still, what better way to get to know one another than through a trial-by-monster?"

Lelouch and Judai said nothing, the brunet leaving a note to forward the bill to Osiris Journal, before following after the others, aiming his deck before a large window alongside David to summon their belts, even as Lelouch slipped on the Decadriver.

**"Kamen Ride:…"** the Decadriver called out, Lelouch pushing the levers together even as David and Shinji slid their Decks into place **"DECADE!"**

Decade's armor filtered into place over the purple-eyed teen, even as Judai and David were enveloped in their own, Ryuki clenching a fist in eagerness as an orange rider with a crustacean theme, Scissors, nodded his head in approval.

"Let's do this." Scissors urged, charging into the window, Ryuki and Decade hot on his heels, the dragon Rider eager to get to know their new ally, even as Decade brought up the rear.

* * *

_elsewhere... _

"Why're we doing this again?" Shinji asked, the last Ikari still a little dazed from his unplanned 'header' as he gave Hikari a ride on his bike "Rei-san's going to get angry if we don' get her Pochari soon…"

"Lamperouge-san asked us to have a word with Tenjouin-san, remember?" Hikari reminded the mildly concussed teen as she held onto his waist "He wants us to ask her a few questions about how she became a rider."

"Isn't it because she wants this 'wish' they're all talking about?" Shinji asked, speaking over his shoulder as he waited for the light to change "I mean, that's what Lelouch said they were fighting over."

"I think Lamperouge-san wants to find out exactly WHO'S organizing the Rider Battle." Hikari reasoned, her tone grim as she held onto her friend tightly "Whoever it is…he has to have a lot of power and influence."

"So it's probably some big shot huh?" Shinji muttered, his tone grim as he wondered just what sort of mess they'd walked into, only to pull up short as the world around them was replaced by a mass of fog "This is-!"

"Be at ease…" a familiar voice called out, Shinji's grip tensing on his handlebars as Hikari looked around in alarm "I mean you no harm…Shinji-kun…" a shadow appeared in the mist, solidifying into a masked figure in a menacing black cape, which clung to his tall, slim frame like folded wings "no, Kamen Rider Kuuga."

"You…!" Shinji growled, slowly dismounting from his bike as he summoned his belt, moving into his Henshin stance "You're the guy that made me fight Lelouch!"

"I did no such thing." The masked man countered, "I merely informed you of a great threat to your world, YOU chose to fight him of your own volition."

"You lied to me!" Shinji countered, glaring at the masked man all the while "You tried to get me to kill Lelouch, even though he was only trying to help!"

"You're wrong!" the masked man countered, waving a hand to the side "I warned you that Decade would destroy your world, did I not?" he gestured to the mist, scenes from the final battle with Adam replaying around them "And look at what happened."

"That wasn't Lamperouge-san's fault!" Hikari countered, holding a hand to the neck of her blouse as she spoke "That monster was responsible! If it hadn't woken up-!"

"Did you ever stop to wonder WHY the monster woke?" the masked figure asked, his helmet tilting to look between the two "Don't you think it odd that, despite the ritual to revive it 'failing' it woke regardless?" he nodded at their silence "That is the effect Decade has on the worlds he visits…whether intentional or not, disaster follows in his wake."

"Who are you…" Shinji demanded, the last Ikari eyeing the masked, cloaked man before him uncertainly, his hands lowering, though his belt remained "How do you know so much about Lelouch? Why do you keep calling him a destroyer."

"My name is Zero." The masked man introduced, spreading his cloak wide, revealing a futuristic purple opera-suit underneath, a sword adorning his hip "And I know more about Lelouch than you can possibly imagine…"

* * *

_With Decade... _

The Solospider chattered angrily as the trio of riders assaulted it from all sides, Ryuki putting the monster in a full nelson as Scissors delivered a punishing series of punches to its midriff.

**"Attack Ride: SLASH!"** the Decadriver called out, the local riders looking up, only to leap away from the monster, who staggered forward, off balance, straight into a diagonal, one-two slash from the Ridebooker, letting out one last keening wail before shattering like fine crystal. "That takes care of that…" Decade noted, tapping the Ridebooker's blade against his shoulder, before reattaching it to his hip with a twirl.

"Not too shabby." Scissors congratulated, the broze-clad crustacean themed Rider slowly getting to his feet and punching Ryuki in the shoulder with a comradely air "You too kid, pretty gutsy of you, putting it in a nelson like that."

"Heh," Ryuki grinned, rubbing his visor where the underside of his nose would be "We make a pretty damn good team, don't we? At this rate nobody's gonna wanna mess with us!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth did an explosion knock all three riders off their feet, Decade cursing as they were blasted apart, rolling across the ground, managing to get to his knees just in time to see three armored figures step into view.

"Hey there…" Verde greeted, the chameleon rider's tone mocking as he dropped down before the trio, Knight stepping into view on his left, while a third rider with a mechanical visor and green bodysuit appeared on his right "Long time no see, brats."

"M…Manjoume?" Ryuki stammered, looking up at the silent Knight in confusion as he staggered to his feet "What's going on here…?"

"I think that should be obvious…" Decade muttered, getting to his feet with a growl as he glared at Misawa's killer "Looks like we're not the only ones who've gone round recruiting comrades."

"You've got that right, brat." Verde sneered, clapping his hands mockingly "Only difference is, unlike YOU, we're here to keep you from meddling in the Rider Battle!"

"Quite so…" the new rider concurred, Chronos' nasal, accented voice emanating from behind the visored helmet "We cannot allow any further interruptions."

"Knock it off!" Ryuki insisted, the dragon Rider spreading his arms wide as he implored the others to see reason "C'mon Chronos! I don't wanna fight you guys-!" he began, only to choke, his words cutting off as a gloved hand grabbed him around the throat from the side, turning his head to gape at scissors in alarm "David-san?"

"Don't take this personally…brat…" the crustacean rider mocked, raising his clawed fist as he socked the younger rider across the face "You're just so pathetic it's pitiful."

"You backstabbing-!" Decade began, aiming the Ridebooker at the traitorous detective, only to curse and roll to the side as Zolda opined fire with his Magnuvisor "Dammit!" he swore, glaring at the green rider as he got to his feet "If it's a shoot-out you want I'll give it to you!"

**"Attack Ride: BLAST!" **the Decadriver declared, the Ridebooker converting to firearm mode as it unleashed a barrage of laser fire at the green rider, who rolled clear, cursing in Italian, drawing a card from his deck as he got to his feet.

**"Shoot Vent."** The Magnuvisor declared as it loaded the card, a large, bazooka like weapon appearing out of thin air, Zolda catching it and leveling it at Decade with a grunt.

"Oh you've gotta be shitting me!" Decade swore, rolling out of the path of the larger projectile, cursing as it caused a warehouse to collapse in a pillar of fire "I call bullshit!"

"All's fair in love and war, _Signore_…" Zolda called out, his tone amused as he leveled his cannon at the Green-eyed rider for another shot "_Arrivedercci…"_

* * *

_Ryuki POV..._

While this was going on, Ryuki was getting two-teamed by Verde and Scissors, while a hesitant Knight held back, the younger Manjoume looking on with mixed feelings as he watched the slacker get what was coming to him.

"A brat like you thinking he can butt in on the game of the century?" Scissors demanded, the bronze, crustacean Rider putting the younger Rider in a headlock "There's no place for dreamers here kid…Koyo Hibiki learned that the hard way…"

"You…!" Ryuki choked, struggling to break free of the older rider's grip "Don't tell me…you were the one who…?"

"Looks like you've got a brain after all…" Scissors sneered, tightening his grip as he turned to face Verde "Hey, finish this brat off already will ya?"

"With pleasure…" Verde sneered, rushing forward, his weird, yo-yo weapons held at the ready, only to curse as someone dropped down from above, slashing at his back, before delivering a savage backhand to Scissor's face, Ryuki rolling free, narrowly avoiding a sword strike to the head as the attacker went after Scissors.

"Viper!" the crustacean Rider yelled, dodging the snake Rider's savage strikes, only to yell as the follow up swing caused sparks to explode from his armor, sending him sprawling across the floor.

"Not so tough now are you, detective?" Ohja mocked, standing over the fallen rider, cracking his neck with a rattling sigh "Looks like you're all having fun…let me join in…"

"Aw crap not him…" Ryuki moaned, looking up at the most bloodthirsty of the riders as Ohja proceeded to mop the floor with Scissors 'Still, weird as it is…he helped me out…'

"Where're you looking brat?" Verde demanded, dragging the dragon Rider to his feet with a mocking sneer "Didn't forget about US did you?"

He shoved the younger Rider towards Knight, who swatted him aside, even as Zolda continued to take potshots at Decade with his cannon. While this was going on, Ohja reached for his deck, drawing a card as he watched Scissors climb shakily to his feet.

"Time to check out detective…" the former soldier noted with a menacing hiss, slotting the card into his Venovisor "The Mirror World doesn't need cops…not even crooked ones like you."

**"Final Vent!"** the Venovisor declared, Scissors looking up in alarm as Venosnaker, Ohja's contract beast, slithered into view, the massive king cobra rearing back as it's Rider back flipped towards it, the crustacean rider slotting in a **"Guard Vent."** As he charged the pair, even as Ohja propelled himself off the serpent, crashing into the Rider with a savage bicycle kick, Scissors scream cutting off as he exploded from the impact.

"Ah…" Ohja sighed, looking on in satisfaction as the flames died down, revealing nothing but Scissors' charred deck lying in the dirt "That's another down…" he noted, before turning to look at Ryuki, who'd lay sprawled on the ground not too far away "Let's try for a double…" he began, advancing on the downed rider at a run, only to curse, leaping back just in time to avoid being hit in the chest with a missile.

"What the hell Chronos?" Verde demanded, the chameleon rider rounding on Zolda, who was still leveling his Shoot Vent at Ohja "He was about to do the job for us."

"_Perdon_…" Zolda offered, his tone apologetic, though if you listened closely, you could detected a note of amusement "I was aiming for the _Dropout boy_…this thing isn't the most accurate of shots Na-No-Ne…"

"So you're volunteering to go next?" Ohja asked, the snake Rider's tone dangerous as he rose to his feet, glaring at the green-clad rider, who sniffed disdainfully.

"You think you can take me?" the Italian Rider countered, his Shoot Vent vanishing, raising the Magnuvisor as he gestured for the psychopath to come at him "If prison wasn't to your tastes, I'll sentence you to hell Na-No-Ne!"

"Try it!" Ohja sneered, laughing menacingly as he lunged to the side, using the debris and walls of the warehouses to block the Rider's shots, Zolda giving chase.

* * *

_As Zolda and Ohja retreat..._

"Hey! Get back here you Faggot!" Verde swore, the elder Manjoume snarling as Zolda ignored him, stepping forward and kicking Ryuki in the throat, sending the younger Rider sprawling on his back, coughing in agony, before rounding on Knight "Finish him off."

"The hell?" Knight demanded, uncrossing his arms as he looked at the chameleon rider, his tone laced with annoyance "Do your own dirty work!"

"You joined us because you wanted to protect the Rider Battle, right?" Verde pointed out, his tone dripping with smugness "If you can't even finish this loser off…then you can't call yourself a Rider."

Knight snarled, glaring at the chameleon rider, the purple 'eyes' of his helmet flashing under his visor, before shoving past him, drawing a card from his belt and slotting it into his Darkvisor. **"Sword Vent!"** The visor declared, Darkwing swooping in, dropping the Rider's lance-like sword in his hands as he advanced on the downed Ryuki ominously.

"M…Manjoume…" Ryuki choked, pushing himself up with his elbows, looking up at the advancing rider as he struggled to breath "You…you're kidding…right?"

"I told you slacker…" Knight muttered, his tone dark as he raised the weapon up, gripping it with both hands as he aimed it at the downed Rider "THIS is what happens when you start dreaming in the Rider Battle!"

That said, he lunged forwards, the tip of his weapon aimed dead centre at Ryuki's neck, the dragon Rider flinching, his eyes shutting under his helmet, only to blink, looking up to find the tip paused scant millimeters from reaching him. "Man…joume…?" the Rider wondered, looking up at Knight in wonderment as the bat Rider trembled, as if struggling with himself to finish the blow.

"What's the matter?" Verde called out, the chameleon rider's tone laced with annoyance as he walked up behind his brother "Can't do it?" he shook his head, his voice laced with amusement as Knight slowly lowered his weapon "Mataku…just as I figured…you're still as weak as ever…baby brother."

Knight whirled round, only to receive a savage roundhouse kick to the face from Verde, cursing as he sprawled against the ground next to Ryuki, as Verde advanced on them with a sneer. "Showing weakness before another Rider?" the elder Manjoume noted, his tone laced with mocking disapproval "That just proves you're like that idiot elder brother of ours…" he spread his arms wide "Weak, nothing more than prey for the strong."

"You…" Knight muttered, glaring up at his elder sibling in realization "Don't tell me…the one who-!"

"Killed him?" Verde finished, shrugging offhandedly "Who else? Our father always said that only the strongest could inherit everything from him…if Shoji had won the election, it meant everything I'd strived for would've been for nothing…"

"You…" Ryuki gasped, the dragon Rider looking up at the chameleon rider in shock, which was shifting rapidly to disdain "how could you…your own brother?"

"The Manjoume family creed;" Verde countered, his tone smug "Only the strong can become leaders of men…" he reached for his deck, sneering down at the duo, particularly the glowering Knight "And that…little brother…is why I'll always be at the top…"

**"Attack Ride: BLAST!"** the Decadriver called out, Verde cursing as he ducked behind some rubble for cover, even as Decade walked into sight, a little dusty from the explosions, Ridebooker in hand. "Didn't forget about ME did you?" the Rider asked, his tone mocking as he advanced on the chameleon rider, dusting himself off as he went "That's hurts my feelings…"

"I'll soon hurt more than that…" Shoji snarled, reaching for his deck once more, only curse as a bipedal, armored rhinoceros barreled into him, knocking him flying "Who the hell?"

* * *

_Decade's POV..._

"Another one?" Decade muttered, the Passing-Through Rider turning to face the large, rhino-themed Rider that was jogging towards them, leveling the Ridebooker at him, only to blink as the Rider held up his hands is a show of non-violence.

"Hold your fire there, soldier!" the rhino Rider called out, Decade quirking his head to the side at the term, even as the new arrival crouched down next to Knight and Ryuki, checking them over for injuries "We gotta Evac these men before they break down!"

"What're you talking about?" Lelouch demanded, only to blink as he espied several particles rising off the local Riders' armor 'Dissolving? But I thought the Rider's were immune…?'

"Damn…" Verde swore, looking down at his own armored hands in annoyance, before pointing at the newcomer in disdain "You'll regret this, horn head!" he vowed, before sneering down at Knight "See you around, little brother…"

"Shoji!" Knight called out, only to curse as the chameleon rider activated his Clear Vent, vanishing from sight, his mocking laughter echoing all around them, even as the newcomer slung him and Ryuki over his shoulders, racing towards the nearest mirror, Decade hot on their heels.

* * *

The end is nigh...

Lelouch: I figured this would happen.

Shinji: Alright! Time for an epic fight scene!

Lelouch: Yeah, Annoying masked freak versus annoying class rep, fight of the century.

Shinji: I meant ME!

Kyugan: Sorry man, no fighting for you this world.

Shinji: Aw balls.

Vegeta: *slightly calmer post-massacre version* Get used to it kid.

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_The Answers come together..._

Shinji: You...Know Lelouch?

Zero: I must be the one to stop him.

_In a shocking revelation._

Lelouch: Thanks for the assist.

?: Anything to help a fellow rider?

_A new ally..._

Manjoume: Cut the shit...

Lelouch: We'll be in touch.

_Leads to New Targets._

?: So there's a Mirror WITHIN the Mirror World?

Asuka: Count me in.

_But the enemies convene_

Ryuki: Hibiki-san wasn't a fool! You take that Back!

Verde: Wanna Try and make me?

Femme: Tiger and Imperer...it's been a while.

Tiger: The Rider Battle's no place for personal grudges.

Ohja: That's where you're wrong...it's TAILOR-MADE for settling old Grudges.

_Before the Final Stage._

Knight: Let's wrap this up so I can claim my inheritence.

?: The only thing you'll be inherriting is a shallow Grave.

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	20. Ryuki GX5

Kyugan: whew, been a while, good to be back.

Shinji: Where were you.

Kyugan: Muffin Button.

Shinji: What?

Kyugan: Bored now, updating.

Ghost Nappa: Ooooh...Sick burn.

* * *

Settling Accounts.

"What are you saying…" Shinji demanded, the last Ikari looking up at the masked man, Zero he had called himself, as he continued to stand before them, putting Hikari behind him "You…Know Lelouch?"

"I do." Zero nodded, his helmet jerking downwards as he continued to look between the last Ikari and Hikari, who was still perched on the teen's bike "Which is why I must be the one who stops him…before any more people are hurt."

"You're Lying!" Hikari asked, her unease overpowered by her confusion as she continued to stare at the masked man that had been dogging their, or rather Lelouch's steps, since he arrived in their world "Lamperouge-san would never-!"

"You are not the only people who have been hurt associating with him." Zero assured them, his tone grim "Lelouch is a manipulator…he uses people like pawns to get what he wants…relying on slight of hand and backstabbing to further his aims…" he clenched a fist in a show of emotion, "using those same methods to dispose of anyone who gets in his way…"

"That's not true!" Shinji countered, waving a hand to the side as he glared at the masked man, his eyes filled with hard distrust "Lelouch isn't the kind of person to use people like that! Sure he's a little arrogant…" he paused at the masked man's look "Okay more than a little, and maybe he doesn't stop to think about other's feelings all the time…" he clapped a hand over his heart "But he knows how people suffer! He can feel their pain! And even though it has nothing to do with him…he does whatever he can to stop it, no matter the cost to himself!"

"You're still naïve…" Zero sighed, shaking his head as he lowered his hand, the limb receding within the folds of his cloak "but you will soon learn the error of your blind faith…" he turned on his heel "as I did…"

"Wait!" Shinji yelled, reaching out for the cloaked man, only to blink as the fog cleared, yelping as he backpedaled out of the path of an oncoming van, which swerved to avoid him, leaving a trail of destruction and broken artifacts in it's wake. "What the hell?" the last Ikari stammered, sweating not from the near brush with death, but the relieved preassure of Zero's presence. It hadn't gotten any easier since the first time he'd seen the man…if anything it seemed all the more intimidating "What WAS that?"

"Ikari-san…" Hikari called out, the freckled girl looking at her fellow survivor in concern as the cars blared their horns behind her "We should go…"

"Yeah…" Shinji agreed, the last Ikari mounting his machine, Hikari holding on as he revved the engine, pulling away from the lights, their features troubled.

* * *

_With Decade..._

Knight and Ryuki tumbled out of a nearby mirror, grunting as they rolled across the floor of an abandoned warehouse, the rhino Rider barrel-rolling out after them, even as Decade stepped through, the green eyed rider looking down at the local riders as their armor disappeared, revealing a wincing Judai and Manjoume, and a tall, tanned teen in camouflage pants, marching boots and a Jurassic Park tank-top, a yellow bandanna over his dreads. "You alright there soldier?" the teen asked, kneeling down next to Judai, patting the teen encouragingly on the back, much to his discomfort "C'mon soldier, laugh it off!"

"Thanks for the assist." Lelouch offered, his transformation wearing off as he detached the Decadriver from his waist "Who did you say you were again?"

"Sir!" the teen snapped, getting to his feet, dropping Judai in the process, and snapping off a salute that caused Lelouch to blink "Private Tyranno Kenzan, at your service SIR!"

"Uh…at ease there soldier…" Lelouch muttered, sweatdropping "Just what kind of boot camp did you drop out of?"

"Sir! The Domino division of the JSDF SIR!" Tyranno replied, his back going even straighter as he continued to stand to attention, much to the others' exasperation.

'I was kidding about the boot camp thing…' Lelouch muttered, the sweat drops on the back of his head multiplying as he stared at the teen in bewilderment, only to shake himself and hold out his hand "In any case, thanks for the assist."

"Was my pleasure!" Tyranno assured the purple-eyed teen, finally dropping the salute and accepting the proffered hand after wiping his own off "Anything ta help out a fellow Rider."

"Cut the crap…" Manjoume muttered, clambering to his feet with a glare "Don't tell me you believe in that 'all for one' bullshit…"

"What're you talking about their soldier?" Tyranno asked, the teen's eyes narrowing slightly, and Lelouch could have sworn they took on a vaguely reptilian tint "You're a Rider right?"

"That's what I'm saying you military nut…" Manjoume muttered "Much as I hate to admit it, that fucker's right…" he glared at the group "the true enemy of Riders are other Riders…"

"That's not true!" Judai insisted, the brunet pushing himself up, Tyranno crouching down to help the teen to his feet slowly "Manjoume…you say that…but you saved me back there!" he looked the stubborn Rider in the eyes "You might not want to admit it…but that doesn't change the fact we're comrades!"

"Comrades?" Manjoume repeated, looking at the muscular private with a look of exhausted disdain, as if the word offended him somehow, before turning on his heel and hobbling off "Feh…screw this…I'm outta here…"

"Manjoume…" Judai called out, the brunet reaching out to the black-clad teen, only to blink as Lelouch stepped forward, the elder teen tossing something at Manjoume's head, the teen catching it out of the air.

"Our number." Lelouch explained, referring to the card that Manjoume now held in his hands, looking the stubborn Rider in the eye "Do what you want with it…but we'll be in touch regardless."

Manjoume glowered, before scoffing, storming off with his hands in his pockets, his face a storm cloud of mixed emotions.

* * *

_Later..._

"So that's how it is." Judai finished, as the Riders walked along, the brunet filling in Kenzan, Lelouch refused to accept the teen's first name was 'Tyranno', as they made their way towards Osiris Journal.

"So there's a mirror INSIDE the mirror that's controlling all the monsters?" Kenzan muttered, his features intrigued "That's first class information private! Where'd you get that Intel?"

"That'd be me…" a voice called out, the trio looking up to see Tenjouin Asuka leaning against a pillar, a concerned looking Hikari and Shinji at her sides "These two filled me in on your hair brained scheme…" she explained, shaking her head at the group's appearance with a slight frown "I told you that you'd get hurt if you kept this up."

"You got us, Asuka-san." Judai agreed, grinning weakly as he rubbed the back of his head, wincing as the motion upset his bruises "Though I'm more worried about Manjoume…"

"Manjoume?" Asuka wondered, the female rider standing straighter, looking at the brunet in shocked confusion "Was he hurt? What happened?"

"He and a few others jumped us when we tried to help someone." Lelouch replied, his tone hard, causing Hikari and Shinji to look at him in concern "Fortunately, believe it or not, Viper showed up and took out one, then took off, taking Chronos with him." He shrugged offhandedly at Asuka's bewildered stare "Shoji tried to get him to finish Judai off…" he smirked at the brunet as he spoke "but it seems I was right about him…"

"Manjoume couldn't do it…" Judai revealed, earning a look of shock from Asuka, as Manjoume had always come down hard on the brunet about how serious the Rider Battle was "Then Verde tried to take us out, and Kenzan here came to the rescue."

"Couldn't leave a fellow Rider hangin' ma'am." Kenzan explained with a polite nod, Asuka blinking at the teen's mannerism, before shaking her head with a sigh.

"So what?" she asked, turning to look at Judai and Lelouch head on "Are you still going to try and destroy the core mirror? Just the three of you?"

"Doesn't look like any of the other Riders want to help." Lelouch reasoned, shrugging his shoulders offhandedly, even as Hikari looked at him in concern and Shinji frowned, his fists tightening "In either case, its better to finish this now…before Shoji has a chance to regroup."

"There's no talking you out of this…is there?" Asuka demanded, looking the trio in eyes, noting the determined resolve in their stares, before sighing "Alright…count me in."

"Asuka-san!" Judai exclaimed, smiling up at the tall girl excitedly, even as Kenzan let out a whoop, pumping his fist in the air "What changed your mind."

"Don't get me wrong…" Asuka countered "I'm doing this for my own reasons. If I go with you guys, there's a good chance Viper will try to stop us." She scowled "And when he does, he's MINE."

"Sounds like you have some personal business with our resident psychopath." Lelouch noted, his tone coy, though as Asuka glared at him, she noted his eyes were serious.

"He killed my brother." She explained, the younger Riders' eyes widening as Hikari clasped a hand over her mouth in shock "Fubuki…was supposed to be one of the Riders…Viper killed him and took his place in the Rider Battle."

"So you joined up for revenge." Lelouch noted solemnly "But what would you have done after you killed Ohja? Would you have gone on killing riders to get you wish?"

"Maybe…" Asuka admitted, looking down at the ground "It hurt really bad when Fubuki was killed…I wanted so badly to bring him back…when I was offered a place in the Rider Battle, I jumped at the chance."

"Offered?" Lelouch repeated, frowning at the female rider, his mind whirring as all the pieces began to fall together "So unlike Judai, someone gave you the CHOICE to become a rider?"

"All of us were." Asuka supplied, nodding her head "He just appeared before me after my brother's funeral…He said he could give me the power to avenge Fubuki…and that there was a way to bring him back."

"What did he look like?" Lelouch asked, wondering if there was a way to nail the source of the Rider Battle down "Did he give a name?"

"Yakko Tenma." Asuka supplied, holding her elbows as she shivered at the memory of her first, and only, encounter with the Rider Battle's mysterious backer "He was a creepy looking guy, late teens to early twenties at most, with long white hair and a freaky smile."

"That's the one who gave me MY deck!" Kenzan declared, the private's eyes widening in disbelief as the others gaped at him "Said he was with Military R&D and that it was a prototype unit for the JSDF!"

"I'm guessing he used a tailor-made sales pitch for all the other riders too…" Lelouch muttered, his tone grim as he frowned "Going by that logic…it's clear he's organizing this event for his own benefit…more than likely there's no prize at the end."

"You mean he's been playin' us all fer saps?" Kenzan demanded, the teen's eyes becoming reptilian once more as he punched his palm "That tears it! I'm gonna pound that freak so hard there won't be enough left to court martial!"

"Get in line…" Lelouch muttered, his tone ominous "I don't care WHAT his reasons are, a coward that treats people as pawns in some twisted game of chess just pisses me off."

* * *

_The Next day... _

Despite Judai and Kenzan's insistence on charging in headfirst and finishing things once and for all, Lelouch and Asuka maintained that they would be better off getting a good night's sleep to recover from today's battle, though for security's sake, Lelouch suggested they all camp out at the Osiris dorms, in case Shoji and his flunkies tried something.

The following morning, after several gut-busting hours waiting for Asuka and Hikari to vacate the bathroom, the four Riders lined up, their features resolved as Shinji and Hikari spread a reflective sheet of metal-foil between them. "Let's do this…" Lelouch muttered, slapping on the Decadriver, slotting in his card as the local riders slid their decks into place "Henshin!"

**"Kamen Ride: DECADE!"** the Decadriver declared, the Riders' respective transformations completing, Decade clenching a fist, before leaping head first into the sheet metal, Ryuki, Femme and Gai following in his wake.

"Good luck everyone…" Shinji muttered, wishing he could join them, but for some reason, while he could SEE into the mirrors, and hear the shrill calls they echoed during a monster attack, he couldn't traverse the portals like Lelouch.

Still, that wouldn't stop him from pummeling any monsters that set foot on THIS side, and heaven help Shoji Manjoume, or any other rider, if they dared lay a finger on Hikari.

* * *

_Mirror World, I2 Underground Parking Lot..._

"So this is where you met Koyo Hibiki…" Decade muttered, eyeing the interior of a parking lot beneath the I2 building, where Judai had been ambushed after being turned down for an interview with the acting CEO.

"Yeah…" Ryuki muttered, his tone solemn as he stared at the spot where his predecessor had dissolved in his arms "It's weird…I never thought why he was here when he was…" he stared down at his hand "I don't even know why he was in the Rider Battle."

"He joined because he had a terminal illness…" a snide voice called out, the group spinning round just as Verde walked into view, his tone smug "but the fool didn't have the guts to keep on killing…even if it meant his own life."

"Hibiki-san wasn't a fool!" Ryuki snapped, only Gai's grip on his shoulder keeping the dragon Rider from lunging at Verde, "You take that back!"

"Wanna try and make me?" Verde asked, spreading his arms wide, even as several figures stepped out of the shadows on all sides. The first to appear was tall, with brown, fur-lined armor and a helmet lined with gazelle horns, the second was slightly shorter, dressed in white armor with blue tiger stripes and a similarly designed helmet over her black bodysuit.

"Tiger and Imperer…" Femme noted, the Swan rider's gaze washing over the new arrivals as they lined up behind Verde, gripping her blanc-visor tightly "Been a while, Reggie."

"Hey, Asuka." Tiger greeted, her tone laced with an American accent as she tossed her axe-like Dest-visor from hand to hand "Still trying to avenge Fubuki?"

"Considering the two of you were dating I'd have thought YOU would've jumped at the chance first." Femme countered, her tone accusing as she glared at the tiger Rider.

"Don't get me wrong…" Tiger countered "It hurt a lot when Fubuki died…" she shrugged offhandedly "But I moved on…the Rider Battle's no place for personal grudges."

"That's where you're wrong…" a voice hissed, the group turning just as Ohja swaggered out from behind a pillar, his Sword Vent in hand "The Rider Battle's tailor-made for setting old grudges…" he spread his arm wide "It really is the greatest game in creation!" he turned his menacing glare onto Decade and the rest "I won't let you spoil my fun…"

"Four on four?" Decade wondered, quirking an eyebrow at enemy riders, drawing a card from the Ridebooker as he spoke "I like those odds!"

**"Attack Ride: BLAST!" **the Decadriver declared, Decade opening up the brawl by firing on Verde, who chuckled darkly as he disappeared from view, the rest of the Rider's throwing themselves at one another.

Femme, predictably, went after Ohja, the two of them slashing at each other with their respective sword Vents, causing sparks to fly as the weapons collided, the two practically nose to nose as they got in each other's faces.

"Well now…" Ohja chuckled, his tone laced with dark amusement "I haven't had this much fun since I first signed up for the Rider Battle…"

"I'll make you pay for what you did to Fubuki!" Femme vowed, the two breaking apart, only to clash once again in a shower of sparks.

* * *

_Gai vs Tiger... _

Gai faced off against Tiger, the two heavy hitters clashing in a show of strength, though Gai was slowly forcing Tiger on the defensive with his superior might. Tiger, however, had the benefit of having a weapon on hand without having to Vent, and used her Axe to force the stronger Rider back, giving her room to slot in a card **"Strike Vent!"**

"Not gonna happen!" Gai countered, drawing a card of his own, tossing it into the reader built into his left shoulder guard **"Confine Vent!"**

"Wha-?" Tiger stammered, looking up at her opponent as the claws she'd just summoned shattered into glass and disappeared "Huh…so you're not just a muscle head after all…" she murmured, readying her axe even as Gai summoned his own Strike Vent, slotting another card into her Dest-Visor as he charged "Too bad you're not the only one that can run interference!"

**"Freeze Vent!" **the Dest-Visor declared, Gai halting in his tracks, a thin layer of Ice coating his armor, even as his feet were incased in a block of ice, giving Tiger the time she needed to deliver a punishing blow to the midriff with her axe.

* * *

_Decade Vs Imperer... _

"So what's your angle on this?" Decade asked, clashing with Imperer, who had leapt into the fray with his Spin Vent summoned "What'd Tenma promise you?"

"What's it matter to you?" Imperer countered, his tone dismissive as the two of them separated, drawing a card and slotting it into the Visor on his knee "You're trying to stop us from attaining it, it's only natural we try and stop you."

**"Advent!"** the Giga-visor declared, tensing, turning to the side as he heard the pitter-patter of running feet, only to swear as several Zelles charged him en masse.

"Oh that's just bullshit!" the dimensional rider swore, rolling clear of the stampede and ducking behind a pillar after driving a few of them off with a few crack shots from his Ridebooker "This guy's got his own HERD?"

"Gigazelle's the leader of the other 'Zelles." Imperer supplied, his tone decidedly smug as he stood in the middle of the herd "They follow his lead, though I can only command him."

"Monkey See Monkey Do, huh?" Decade muttered, grimacing as the herd rushed his position once more, drawing another card from the Ridebooker "Well I think it's time to even the playing field a little!"

**"Attack Ride: ILLUSION!"** the Decadriver declared, Imperer looking on in shock as Decade's image blurred, separating into six identical copies, all of whom were slotting cards into their drivers **"Attack Ride: BLAST!"**

"Shit!" Imperer swore, rolling out of the line of fire, even as his herd was mowed down, the Zelles bleating in agony, while Gigazelle leapt to cover its master "You'll pay for that!"

* * *

_Verde vs Ryuki..._

"You're pathetic…" Verde taunted, the chameleon rider lashing out at Ryuki, who could only stumble around as the invisible Rider's Hold Vent slashed into him from all sides "Seriously, the fact that Jun couldn't finish off a weakling like you just proves he's not suited to be a Rider."

"You're the one who's not suited to be a Rider!" Ryuki countered, glaring in defiance as he used his Guard Vent shields to weather the worst of the assault "Someone like you should never have been made a Rider in the first place!"

"Oh shut it." Verde sneered, appearing right in front of the dragon Rider and delivering a punishing blow to the midriff, kneeing the younger Rider in the face as he doubled over, before reaching for his belt "I've heard enough of your hero crap…time to die-!"

**"Nasty Vent!"** a Visor declared, Verde looking up just in time to howl in pain as Darkwing flew down, screeching it's head off, causing the chameleon rider to grip his head in agony. "Shoji!" a voice called out, Verde turning, only to curse as the business end of Knight's Sword Vent slashed against his armor, the younger Manjoume keeping up the assault as he forced his brother away from the downed Ryuki "This ends here!"

"You little brat!" Verde swore, lashing out with his hold Vent to force his youngest sibling to back off "Don't fuck with me!"

**"Strike Vent!"** a visor declared, Verde cursing as he was engulfed in flames, Knight looking over his shoulder to see Ryuki directing the fireball with his strike Vent in hand, Dragreder hovering behind him. "Finish it, Manjoume!" the Dragon Rider declared, Knight inclining his head in understanding, before drawing a card from his deck and slotting it in.

**"Final Vent!"** the Dark visor declared, Darkwing flying in low as Knight charged forwards, the bat attach ng to his back, forming a long cape, even as Knight leapt into the air over Verde.

"No!" the chameleon rider yelled, slotting in his clear vent and making to run, but Knight was already coming down on him, his cape forming a massive drill as he smashed into the elder Rider, Shoji's screams silenced as he exploded from the impact.

"Who's the weakling now…?" Knight demanded, standing up from the small crater that had formed, glaring down at Verde's deck at his feet, even as Ryuki jogged up in concern

"You okay, Manjoume?" the dragon Rider asked, looking the other teen over in concern, and a hint of wariness if he were honest with himself.

"Fine…" Manjoume muttered, standing up straight, before pointing his Sword Vent at Ryuki's helmet "Don't get me wrong…I didn't do that to save you-!"

"Sure, no problem." Ryuki agreed, his tone amused, so amused you could practically FEEL the grin he was leveling at the bat Rider "Thanks all the same."

"Feh…" Knight muttered, lowering his weapon as he shook his head, either in embarrassment or disgust was uncertain thanks to his armor "Freaking weirdo…"

They paused, looking up at the sight of a thin curtain rising, eyes widening under their armor as they espied a single, solitary mirror standing under it, emitting a keen shrill. "Hey!" Ryuki gasped, the dragon Rider grabbing Knight by the shoulder as they stared at the mirror in confusion "That's gotta be it! The Core Mirror! If we destroy that!"

"Let's just finish this…" Knight muttered, nodding his head grimly as he hoisted his Sword Vent up, advancing on the mirror purposely "the sooner I take care of this mess the sooner I get my inheritance."

"The only thing you'll be inheriting is a shallow grave." A voice opined, the duo whipping round, only to cry out as they were sent flying, courtesy of a backhand slap to the face.

* * *

_With the others..._

"What the hell?" Decade wondered, the green-eyed rider looking up in alarm as Ryuki and Knight crashed between him and Imperer, the other Riders looking up from their respective duels to gape at the newcomer as he stepped forward.

He was tall, easily the tallest Rider here, dressed in a black bodysuit over brown and gold armor, the shoulder guards fletched like wings. His helmet was set in a menacing glare, and his arms were crossed before him.

"C…crap…" Knight swore, the last Manjoume propping himself up as Ryuki shook his head, dazed from the blow "Of all the times for HIM to show up…!"

"I would have preferred not to get involved so early…" the newcomer muttered, glaring down at the downed teen, his arms still crossed "However…I cannot allow the Rider Battle to be interrupted."

"So Tenma's finally gotten off his ass to stop us…" Decade muttered, smirking inside his helmet at the newcomer's helmet jerked in his direction at the mention of the mysterious organizer's name.

"I see…" the newcomer muttered, his tone deep, laced with understanding as he glared at the green-eyed rider "So your one of the interlopers…the one that's been interfering with the Rider Battle."

"It's a talent of mine to meddle in other people's affairs." Decade admitted with a hint of pride, his tone mocking, "Still, I don't think anyone with a hint of sense would stand aside after seeing what Tenma's up to." He snorted "Tell me, what'd he promise you?"

"That's none of your concern…" the newcomer opined, glaring at him with his arms crossed before him "The Rider Battle will continue…after I dispose of you."

"You can try!" Decade countered, aiming the Ridebooker at the golden Rider, only to blink as the man vanished, a few golden petals hovering in his wake "What the-?"

"Over here." The deep voice intoned, Decade turning right into the path of a backhanded bitchslap that sent him sprawling across the asphalt from the impact.

"Lamperouge-san!" Ryuki called out, rising to his feet and rushing the golden Rider, his Sword Vent in hand "TEME-!"

"Muda-da…" the golden Rider countered, pulling his vanishing trick once again, appearing behind the younger Rider, who jerked to a halt, only to cry out as his opponent reappeared, swords in hand, delivering a punishing series of slashes to his unguarded back. "I knew Koyo Hibiki." The golden Rider admitted, his tone distant as he eyed the downed Rider, swords in hand "He was a great man…had he not turned against the Rider Battle, he might have gone on to great things."

"If you think so highly of him…" Ryuki gasped, glaring up at the golden Rider in disdain, gasping for breath "Then why don't you honor his wishes?"

"I have my own reasons for taking part in the Rider Battle." The golden Rider countered, his tone low, filled with hidden emotion as he raised his swords high "That's why I cannot let you interfere-!"

**"Shoot Vent!"** a visor declared, the Golden Rider roaring as he was knocked off his feet, the round detonating against his flank as Ryuki looked at his rescuer in amazement.

_"Non-non-non!"_ Zolda tsked, the Italian Rider twitching his finger in a contrary motion as he lowered his oversized Shoot Vent, the barrel of which was sill smoking from being fired "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, _Signore_ Odin."

"Chronos…" Odin muttered, rising to his feet, holding his wounded flank with a grimace as he glared at the newcomer "Don't tell me…"

"What can I say?" Zolda muttered, shrugging offhandedly as he inclined his head towards the downed Ryuki "Sometimes even the strictest prosecution can be moved by the defense."

"Chronos…!" Ryuki cheered, looking up at the Italian Rider in amazement, Zolda making a weird gesture with his fingers, as the other Riders gathered round.

"Looks like it's down to this guy." Decade noted, having left Imperer buried under a pile of collapsed ceiling debris, groaning but alive.

"Keep your guard up…" Zolda cautioned, leveling his Magnu Visor at Odin "_Signore _Odin is the strongest Rider for a reason Na-No-Ne."

"That just means he wont be callin' in no reinforcements!" Gai reasoned, the rhino Rider popping his knuckles, looking a little battered from his battle with Tiger, having used his Final Vent to punch her through a wall "This is in the bag!"

"You think so hmm?" Odin demanded, getting to his feet and leveling his swords at the group, his back to the Core Mirror "Then by all means…do try-!"

That was as far as he got before a sword punched through his chest from behind, the Riders looking on in confusion as the strongest Rider's swords fell from limp fingers, clattering audibly in the sudden silence.

"Well this is no good…" a cultured voice sighed, the Riders looking on in stunned wonderment as a figure stepped out of the core mirror, dressed in Shark themed rider armor, his hand gripping the sword that had stabbed Odin in the back "I was hoping that you'd put up a better showing than this…" he looked over his shoulder at the remaining Riders "Looks like I'll have to settle things myself."

* * *

Lelouch: Oh that backstabbing cockbite!

Shinji: I was wondering where he disappeared to.

Kyugan: So did I, and I WROTE this fic!

Shinji: Cop-out.

Kyugan: And here i was planning on sending you to the Mogudan world next, oh well.

Shinji: Wait wha-?

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_The Final Rider emerges..._

Odin: The Second...Interloper...

Abyss: Tenma Really didn't put much thought into selecting you Riders, did he?

_To upset the war._

Abyss: I was planning on saving th strongest for last...

Knight: You sick bastard...

_Allies United..._

Zolda: Arriverdercci-!

Ryuki: Chronos!

_And united they fall._

Ryuki: The mirror! If we can destroy that!

_A final hope..._

Abyss: You think I'm just going to sit back an allow that?

_Denied by their foe._

Knight: Move Slacker!

Ryuki: MANJOUME!

_A Friend's sacrifice..._

Zero: It's been a long time...Decade.

_Leads to a fateful confrontation._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	21. Ryuki GX6

Kyugan: final battle time peeps!

Lelouch: About damn time.

Kyugan: Will our crew survive this latest wrinkle?

Lelouch: Psh, please, we'll walk this.

Shinji: Why's nappa-san laughing?

DEATH: YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW...

* * *

Shark Attack.

"You…" Odin coughed, the golden Rider glaring at Abyss, for indeed Decade recognized the first rider he'd met in this world as the backstabber hiding in the mirror "The second…interloper…"

"Whoops, found me out did you?" Abyss wondered, the Shark rider's tone surprised, though there was a lilting tone that showed he seemed to be impressed as well "How long've you known?"

"Tenma noted that the number of Riders was off…" Odin muttered, his tone grim as he glared at his assailant over his shoulder "The thirteenth wasn't supposed to appear yet…"

"Thirteenth?" Abyss wondered, the shark Rider tilting his head to the side, as if mulling this piece of information over "Ah! You mean that guy in the black armor?" he shrugged, reaching behind him and pulling out a deck with a black dragon crest on the cover "Wasn't much of a challenge." He admitted, tossing the deck aside "Tenma really didn't put much thought into selecting you Riders, did he?"

"You-!" Odin growled, only to jerk, letting out a harsh cry as his body shattered into glass shards, his deck crashing to the ground with an ominous clatter.

"Ah…I broke him…" Abyss sighed, the shark Rider shaking his head wistfully as he stepped fully out of the core mirror, tapping his sword against his shoulders "That's no good…I was planning on saving the strongest for last…"

"You sick bastard…" Knight swore, the last Manjoume clambering to his feet as he glared at the shark Rider, the other survivors getting to their feet "What the hell's your game?"

"What do you think?" Abyss asked, his tone mocking, though laced with a gentle bemusement, as if he were correcting a child "The entire Rider Battle is my game." He paced in front of them "All Riders are after the prize right? Their chance to get their wish granted." He gazed out at the amassed riders before him "Money, wealth, power…heck even Viper had his reasons…whatever they were." He snorted, shrugging offhandedly as he spoke "Me? I'm just in this because it seems like fun."

"You think this is some sort of GAME?" Ryuki demanded, the dragon Rider glaring at Abyss, only Decade holding up an arm keeping him from charging in headfirst.

"Isn't it though?" the shark Rider asked, his tone bemused as his hidden stare washed over the assorted Riders "you all signed up for this life-or-death battle, never mind the fact that Tenma-Kun was playing you all for saps." He covered his mouth guard with one hand as the Riders stood up straighter at this revelation "Whoops…let that slip out didn't I?"

"So I was right…" Decade muttered, glaring at the shark Rider with grim confirmation in his stare "I figured the prize was just bait…Tenma had no intention of granting anyone's wish."

"And Bingo was his name-o." Abyss applauded in English, the shark Rider clapping his hands mockingly "Well, not exactly," he admitted "more accurately, 'Crawford' was his name-o."

"Crawford?" Zolda repeated, the Italian Rider standing up straighter at the casually tossed name "You mean _Signore_ Pegasus J. Crawford? The late President of I2?"

"The very same." Abyss agreed, inclining his head as he continued to pace before the riders, as restless as his namesake "Tenma was planning to use the energy from the Rider Battle to revive his master…boy had a father complex that would've made Freud shit his pants."

He sighed, one hand going to his helmet as he shook his head dramatically "It was so sad really, so transient…so…HUMAN." He shook his head in disgust "The boy had no AMBITION. Once he'd gotten what he wanted, the Riders could go hang themselves for all he cared."

"You say 'had'…" Decade noted, the dimension traversing Rider's gaze shrewd as he continued to glare at Abyss, his hackles rising under his armor "Don't tell me you…"

"You're as sharp as ever, Decade-kun." Abyss noted, shaking head in bemusement as he turned to face the Riders "That's right…regrettably, Yakko Tenma's is no longer with us…" he spread his arms wide before them "But rejoice! For in death he will surely be reunited with his beloved surrogate father, just as he always intended!"

"You twisted freak!" Knight swore, the last Manjoume bringing his Darkvisor up, the other Riders moving into similar stances, all of them going for their decks even as Abyss slotted a card of his own in.

**"Advent!"** the shark Rider's Visor declared, the Riders bracing themselves, only to be tackled from both sides as an Abyssharker and Abysshammer double-teamed them, forcing the group to split into pairs.

"This guy has TWO contract monsters?" Ryuki gaped, ducking under a slash from Abyssharker while Abysshammer swatted Gai aside like he was a lightweight, the rhino Rider crashing against a pillar and going down, HARD.

* * *

_With Decade..._

"Kenzan!" Decade called out, the green-eyed Rider gritting his teeth as he glared at Abyss, who was standing in the background, reaching into the Ridebooker and withdrawing a different card "Time to wake up!"

**"Kamen Ride: KIVA!"** the Decadriver declared, quicksilver forming over Decade's armor, which grew larger, the liquid metal shattering to reveal Kamen Rider Kiva, the combatants freezing in shock at the Rider's metamorphosis.

"A monster for a monster!" D-Kiva reasoned, lunging in with a snarl and delivering a powerful series of punches to Abyssharker's torso, sending it flying with a savage roundhouse, only to curse as Abysshammer came to it's partner's rescue, tackling the morphed Rider from the side and sending him sprawling.

"Tsk…" D-Kiva muttered, glaring at the larger monster as he climbed back to his feet "so that's how you wanna play is it?" he asked, drawing another card with a smirk "Fine then…it's Hammer Time!"

**"Form Ride: DOGGA!"** the Decadriver declared, D-Kiva's form morphing once again as it's chest armor became blocky and purple, the omnilens flashing purple, even as a massive hammer in the shape of a fist appeared in his hands.

"Ngh…" D-Kiva muttered, rotating his neck with a grunt "Feels a little stiff…" he turned to Abysshammer, raising the Dogga hammer in both armored hands "Let's loosen up shall we?"

Abysshammer roared and charged the morphed rider, only to stumble back as Decade delivered a punishing series of blows to the midriff with his hammer, using its massive weight to send the shark monster crashing backwards, moving to slam the hammer down on its head, only to curse as a geyser of water sent him flying. "Can't have that," Abyss called out, standing up from his attack stance, having used his Strike Vent to save his mirror monster "That's my partner you know."

"So it's a water fight you want is it?" D-Kiva demanded, drawing another card from the Ridebooker as he glared at the shark Rider "FLet me slip into something more appropriate first!"

**"Form Ride: BASHAA!"** the Decadriver declared, the morphed rider's armor changing once again, purple sections on his chest reverting as his right arm was engulfed in green, scale like armor, a strange firearm appearing in his hand.

"DRAW!" D-Kiva declared, opening fire, several high-preassure bullets of water slamming into Abyss, driving him back, even Ryuki and his fellow riders continued to tackle the contract beasts.

"You're pretty versatile!" Abyss applauded, using the pillars to his advantage as he ducked under the shots of compressed water "You'd have done really well in the Rider Battle if you'd taken things seriously."

"Sorry…" D-Kiva counted, not letting up for a second as he continued to unload a torrent of compressed water at the shark Rider "Despite what others think, I DON'T particularly enjoy fighting other Riders."

"That's not something one would expect to hear from the Destroyer of Worlds." Abyss noted, his tone coy, even as D-Kiva's shoulders tensed "Whoops…did I hit a sore spot?"

"That black helmet…" D-Kiva glowered, recalling Shinji's recollection of the caped pest that had been dogging their steps since he started this journey "So he's willing to go this far is he?"

"You really aren't anything like I expected." Abyss admitted, his voice laced with approval as he drew a card from his deck "Still, I suppose that's what makes this all the more entertaining!"

**"Final Vent!"** the Abyss Visor declared, D-Kiva stumbling as a massive roar filled the air, looking round just in time to be blindsided by a massive, shark monster with a serrated blade for a nose.

* * *

_With Ryuuki..._

"Lamperouge-san!" Ryuki called out, the Dragon rider looking on in horror as the morphed Rider was slammed against a far pillar of the parking lot, only to yelp as the massive shark came round for another pass.

_"Merda!"_ Zolda cursed, the Italian rider drawing a card from his own deck as he rolled out of the path of the oversized shark "Time for the heavy artillery Na-No-Ne!"

**"Final Vent!"** the Magnu Visor declared, Zolda's mirror monster, Magnugiga, rising from the ground before it's master, Zolda stepping up behind it and inserting his weapon into it's back.

"_Arriverdercci-!"_ the green rider called out, his finger tightening on the trigger, only to be cut off as the shark monster lunged at him, devouring him, monster and all, with one massive gulp.

"MAN DOWN!" Gai called out, the Rhino Rider summoning his own Final Vent, his mirror monster, Metalgelas, smashing through a wall, the Rider leaping onto it's shoulders, Strike vent in hand "Forward MARCH!"

"Kenzan, NO!" D-Kiva called out, the morphed rider looking on in alarm as the pair charged forwards like the worlds most bizarre freight train, only for the shark to swat them aside with one swipe of tail, before bearing down on them, "Get out of the way!"

"D-damn…" Gai swore, struggling to get to his knees, even as he stared into the oncoming jaws of the monster, the rhino Rider pulling off one last salute as he looked at the morphed Decade "Give 'em hell sir…"

"KENZAN!" Ryuki called out, the dragon Rider looking on in horror as their comrade, more than that, his friend, despite the fact they'd known each other for less than 24 hours, was devoured along with his mirror monster, his features settling into a mask of rage as Abyss' giant shark came around for another pass, roaring in it's fury "Teme-!"

"Move Slacker!" Knight snapped, the last Manjoume shoving the enraged dragon Rider out of the path of the oncoming monster, the massive shark slamming into the concrete between them, diving underground with the force of its momentum, its dorsal fin protruding as it carved a swathe through the parking lot.

"Shit!" Knight swore, gritting his teeth under his helmet as he got to his knees, watching the circling dorsal fin warily "We can't fight it cramped up like this!" he swore, glaring at the walls of the parking structure in disdain "We need to get it out in the open!"

"But the mirror!" Ryuki insisted, the dragon Rider gesturing towards the Core Mirror, which was standing not twenty feet away, protected by little more than a few flimsy silken curtains "If we can destroy that-!"

"You think I'm just going to sit back and let you do that?" Abyss called out, Ryuki rolling out of the path of the Rider's sword as he slashed down where the teen had lain seconds before "Tenma might be gone, but that doesn't mean I've any desire to see the Rider Battle end before I've had my fun."

"You sick freak!" Knight swore, he and Femme summoning their own sword Vents as they charged the shark Rider, Abyss warding them off expertly as Ryuki struggled to his feet.

"You two seem well coordinated." Abyss noted offhandedly, his tone as bemused as ever, the shark Rider moving b the pair as if he were dancing at a ball, rather than locked in a battle to the death "Truth be told, I was always torn as to who to kill first…"

"You're the one that's going down!" Knight snarled, slashing and stabbing at the shark Rider with his Sword Vent, only to be warded off with one while the other handled Femme, Abyss switching between the two expertly.

"Hmm…decisions-decisions…" the shark Rider muttered, his tone troubled, as if he were trying to pick between two ice cream flavors, only to knock Knight's sword vent out of his hand with a deft flick of his wrist, following it up with a double handed slash across his chest plate, and a boot to the midriff.

"Manjoume!" Ryuki yelled, looking on in horror as the dark Rider was sent flying from the force of the impact, an equally concerned Femme hesitating for only a moment before rushing in to attack Abyss's unprotected back.

"Whoops." Abyss clucked, crossing his swords behind him expertly, catching Femme's Sword Vent between them, a hairs breadth from connecting with his spine "That was too close, wouldn't you agree, Asuka-chan?"

"Go to hell!" Femme cursed, struggling to get free, only for Abyss to twist his wrists again, the swan Rider stumbling backwards as her Sword Vent wrenched out of her hands to spiral through the air, letting out a gasp of alarm as she looked down just in time for Abyss to run her through the stomach.

"Sorry…" Abyss offered, his tone laced with gentle amusement, even as he twisted the blade in the Rider's gut causing her to shatter with a cry "But it's always my policy to allow women to go first."

"ASUKA-SAN!" Ryuki called out, his voice laced with distress as he watched Abyss kill the swan Rider. "ABYSS!" he snarled, summoning his sword vent and racing towards the Shark Rider, only to be forced to retreat once more as Abyss' shark burst out of the ground like it was water, rolling to aside to avoid it as it dove under once again.

"I'm sorry…" Abyss called out, his tone echoing from all sides as Ryuki hid behind a pillar, his breath coming in rapid gasps "Was she something special to you, Judai-kun?"

"You monster!" the dragon Rider snapped, glaring around the corner of the pillar as he tried to ascertain from which direction the voice was coming from "Why? How can you kill like this? You said even Viper had a reason for being what he was…what the hell's YOURS?"

"Mine?" Abyss wondered, his voice echoing all around the younger Rider "Hmm…what to say…I've really never had to explain myself before…"

He paused, though Ryuki could still hear his footsteps advancing, the steady, easy pace contrasting with the pounding of Ryuki's blood in his ears, and the incessant trill that hung in the background of the Mirror World.

"I suppose…" Abyss reasoned, his tone distant, self-examining almost "I suppose I COULD say that this is the result of some deeply rooted psychological issue, brought on by years of abuse, drinking, smoking, bad relationships and all the rest…" he sighed "But you see, I prefer not to lie…my childhood wasn't anything special but I was never mistreated, I only drink wine, and even then occasionally, so I know there's no mind altering substances in them…" his wry chuckle echoed around the parking structure "And as for relationships…I'm pleased to say that I have NEVER had a dissatisfied customer."

"Then why?" Ryuki demanded, trying to find some logic to the other Rider's madness as he finally managed to catch his breath "Why are you doing this?"

"Why?" Abyss pondered, and Ryuki froze as he realized the older Rider was practically talking into his ear from the other side of the pillar "Because I CAN, I suppose."

**"Guard Vent!"** the Drag Visor declared, Ryuki's shields, which resembled the underbelly of his mirror monster, appearing on his shoulders, the dragon Rider using them to deflect the shark Rider's attacks as he was forced to back away from the pillar.

"You're surprisingly good for someone who doesn't want to be a rider." Abyss noted, his tone laced with surprised approval "Kind of contradicts the point of your argument, doesn't it?"

"You're wrong!" Ryuki countered, continuing to block the attacks as he put distance between them "I'm proud to be a Rider! I think it's the coolest thing in the world! But this Rider Battle is wrong! Riders shouldn't fight one another!"

"That's where you're wrong." Abyss countered, pressing his advantage all the while "It is human nature to fight one another, and only humans have the potential to become Riders." He kicked out, catching Ryuki under his guard and sending the younger Rider sprawling on his back, drawing a card from his belt as he stood over the downed rider "In a way, the Rider battle could be seen as the next stage of evolution in man's eternal battle." He shook his head with a sigh "However…it's time for you to exit the stage."

**"Strike Vent!"** the abyss visor declared, Abyss' contract monster reappearing behind him, it's razor blade unsheathing as he reared his arm back, punching forwards, sending the massive monster hurtling towards Ryuki, only for a dark figure to shove the red Rider out of the way, taking the impact in his stead.

"MANJOUME!" Ryuki called out, looking up from the ground in alarm as Knight, who'd shoved him out of the path of the attack, was impaled through the chest and slammed against a pillar, his dark Visor falling from trembling fingers.

"F…fucking moron…" Knight cursed, his helmet lifting to glare at Ryuki from where he was pinned "Standing there...like a damned deer in the headlights…"

"Well this is a surprise…" Abyss noted, looking on as his monster vanished, allowing Knight's body to collapse on the floor bonelessly, his armor vanishing as Ryuki ran over to his side "I never thought I'd see the day YOU, of all people, risked your life for someone else."

"F-fuck you shark face…" Manjoume swore, blood trailing the edges of his mouth, his right hand trembling, the middle finger twitching as he tried to flip the bird "I don't need someone like you telling me how badly I screwed up."

"Manjoume…" Ryuki fretted, a hand going to the teen's back as he tried to staunch the bleeding, knowing instinctively that the damage was too great, but refusing to accept it as he tried to scoop the teen up "C'mon…I'll get you outta here!"

"Baka…" Manjoume swore, swatting the Rider's hands aside with his left arm, which flopped limply due to lack of strength "I can barely keep my eyes open, I'm screwed no matter what happens next."

"Why?" Ryuki asked, looking down at the teen as he coughed, blood flying from between his teeth as he lay in the Rider's arms "Why'd you do that?"

"You're asking ME?" Manjoume demanded, glaring up at the rider with fading eyes, though Ryuki was surprised to see a hint of the old, confident smirk on his face "Hell if I know…my body just moved on it's own…" he swatted the Rider's chest "Now get going…the last thing I wanna see is your ugly mug before I die…" his glare hardened as he looked into the Rider's armored face "Just kick that guy's ass…or so help me I'll come back and haunt you!"

"Manjoume…" Ryuki breathed, only to blink as the teen stilled, his glare frozen in place as he lay in the Rider's arms "MANJOUME!"

* * *

_Another one bitees the dust..._

"And so another Rider falls." Abyss noted, walking slowly up to the pair, completely at his leisure despite the emotional scene before him "Really, who would have thought Jun-kun would've had it in him? The boy was certainly full of surprises."

Ryuki stilled, setting Manjoume's body down and respectfully closing the teen's eyes, before turning to face the shark Rider, his fists tightening as they faced off against one another.

"Just you and me left." Abyss noted, the two Rider's circling each other like wolves in a clearing, their masked gazes clashing in the space between "Just as the Rider Battle intended…" he drew a card from his belt "there can only be one."

**Attack Ride: BLAST!"**

Abyss staggered, sparks flying off his armor as several bursts of laser fire slammed into him, sending him staggering backwards as Ryuki looked up, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Forget about little old me, 'jaws'?" Decade called out, the green-eyed rider's tone mocking as he leant against a nearby pillar, his armor covered in plaster and concrete dust from his trip through the wall "That's not very polite…or smart."

"Lamperouge-san!" Ryuki exclaimed, overjoyed at the sight of one of his comrades as the green-eyed rider walked over, "You're okay!"

"I'm far from okay." Decade countered "I'm bruised, battered, my ribs are killing me and I might be suffering from a concussion," he glared at Abyss, who was climbing to his feet "but more than that, I'm sick of listening to this freak ramble on."

"Freak?" Abyss repeated, his tone bemused, as he pretended to be offended "Really now, Decade, is there really any need for names?"

"I thought something was up with you when I first saw you." Decade continued, heedless of the shark Rider's words "There was just something off about you…something I couldn't put my finger on." He nodded his head towards Ryuki "At first I thought it was simply an effect of the mirror world…but none of the other Riders gave me the same feeling. And again, your strength, even for a Rider, isn't natural."

"What are you saying?" Ryuki asked, the dragon Rider looking between Decade and Abyss, who had suddenly gone grimly silent as the conversation dragged on.

"I'm saying…" Decade continued glaring at Abyss the entire time "That it seems HUMANS aren't the only people that can become Riders..."

"Then…!" Ryuki stammered, his eyes widening in shock beneath his helmet, even as Abyss clapped, a slow, mocking applause as he continued to match glares with Decade.

"Well done sir…" the shark Rider applauded, his tone laced with approval and his overall insufferable smugness, as if he had performed a magic trick and Decade had been the smart youngster that figured it out "You truly do live up to your reputation…" he spread his arms wide "So what now? Either way, we need to finish things here, there can only be one winner in this Rider Battle."

"No." Ryuki countered, glaring at the shark Rider as he stood alongside Decade "I'm done following that rule…I'm going to stop the Rider Battle!"

"Ridiculous." Abyss scoffed, shaking his head in bemusement "Even if you do, what of it? Humans will always fight over what they want for themselves."

"I won't deny that." Decade agreed, earning a look of shock from Ryuki, looking down at his gloved hand "There are times when it's only right to reach out and take something with your own hands…" he glared up at Abyss "However, there are also times when you reach out and take someone else's hand in yours…to stand together against that which would destroy you both…" he inclined his head towards Ryuki "that's a strength only Humans possess."

"Humans huh?" Abyss muttered, his tone low, almost intrigued, as he glared at the green-eyed Rider, reaching for his belt and drawing a card "What nonsense."

**"Advent!"** the Abyss Visor declared, Abyssharker and Abysshammer reappearing at their master's summons, only to be driven back as Decade and Ryuki worked in tandem to fend the monsters off.

"You say that banding together is a human trait, Decade." Abyss rejoined, looking out at the battling pair from the sidelines "Tell me, just how do you or I fit into that logic?"

"Don't compare me to you." Decade countered, backhanding Abyssharker "I'm just a passing through Kamen Rider…" he turned to point at Abyss, his tone smug "Remember that!"

"And right now…" Ryuki continued, the dragon Rider nodding at Decade as he tripped up the top-heavy Abysshammer, before turning to glare at Abyss alongside the older Rider "we are a team!"

"Really?" Abyss muttered, tilting his head to the side, his tone laced with amused intrigue as he watched the pair mop the floor with his monsters, reaching for his deck once again "Well if you two are going to insist on playing 'all for one'…" he reasoned, slotting the card into his visor "Then who am I to judge?"

**"Final Vent!"** the abyss Visor declared, the two mirror monsters once again fusing into one giant monstrosity, which roared, before diving towards the rider pair, who rolled out of it's path, watching it disappear beneath the damaged floor of the parking structure.

* * *

_Decade and Ryuki..._

"Dammit!" Ryuki swore, the dragon Rider looking on in concern as he followed the massive dorsal fin of the monster warily "We gotta do something about that thing!"

"I couldn't agree more." Decade concurred, frowning at Abyss, who was once again leaning back, enjoying the show, only to look down as the Ridebooker popped open of its own accord, three new cards flying into his hand, the green-eyed rider smirking to himself as the fog obscuring them cleared. "This might tickle a bit." He warned, hauling a confused Ryuki to his feet, the dragon Rider looking at him uncertainly as he slotted a card into the Decadriver.

**"Final Form Ride:"** the Decadriver declared, Decade slamming the levers together, Ryuki's crest rising from the centre of the buckle **"R-R-R-RYUKI!"**

"Eh?" Ryuki stammered, blinking at the mention of his name, only to jump as his Guard vents reattached themselves to his shoulders, despite his not summoning them "What the? But you can't summon another Rider's weapons!"

"I'm special." Decade countered smugly, before giving the teen a mighty slap on the shoulder, shoving him out of the path of Abyss' strike vent, the dragon Rider yelping as he began to shift in mid-air, his body shifting, his legs splitting as armor wrapped around them, his sword Vent attaching to one as his Strike Vent formed on the other, the entire gestalt solidifying into the massive form of a red, oriental dragon, Ryuki's own contract monster, Dragreder.

"What happened to me?" the Rider turned dragon wondered, his tone echoing as he looped around Decade in confusion "what is this?"

"This," Decade explained, standing up as he smirked at the equally dumbstruck Abyss, who gaped at the transformation in alarm "is our combined power!"

With that, Ryuki-as-dragon let out a mighty roar, the same keening roar his contract monster usually emitted, before charging forwards, Abyss' own contract monster erupting from the ground, the two clashing against each other with a show of power that shook the wall of the already damaged parking structure.

"RARGH!" Ryuki-as-dragon roared, the transformed rider looping around the large monster like a serpent, his fangs biting at the side of it's neck "How do you like it?"

Not a lot apparently, as the shark monster roared, slamming itself against the nearby pillars to throw it's attacker off, the side armor of it's mouth separating to reveal missile launchers, unleashing a salvo of explosive death on the transformed Rider.

But Ryuki-as-dragon was having none of that, the transformed Rider unleashing several fireballs from his maw, the two assaults impacting in a fiery explosion that caused the roof of the parking structure to crumble.

"Ease up on the Pyrotechnics!" Decade swore, the dimension traversing Rider locked in hand to hand combat with the larger Abyss, the two exchanging body-blows as the two monsters clashed around them.

"Sorry!" Ryuki-as-dragon called out, looping under the shark monster, his blade-like tail lashing out and cutting his marine foe in half as it tried to swoop down and impale the dragon with it's own blade, the monster exploding with a roar, the transformed Rider ignoring it's fiery death as he raced downwards, his transformation reversing as he landed at a run, charging the combatants and helping to drive of Abyss, giving Decade time to draw another card from his Ridebooker.

**"Final Attack Ride:…"** the Decadriver declared, Decade slamming the levers together as he watched the Abyss fend off Ryuki's assault **"R-R-R-RYUKI!" **

Abyss stepped back to avoid Ryuki's sword strike, only to curse as the Rider transformed again, thedragon's blade-like tail slashing against his chest, sending him staggering back as it coiled around Decade, rising after the rider as he leapt into the air, coiling behind him as he twisted, a fireball launching from the transformed rider's maw, engulfing Decade as he came down on Abyss in a perfect rendition of Ryuki's own Final Vent.

* * *

_As the dust Settles..._

Decade landed in a crouch, dusting his leg off to put out some of the lingering flames from the last attack, even as Ryuki as dragon looped overhead, the Rider's transformation wearing off as Decade got to his feet, their respective transformations wearing off, Lelouch and Judai looking at the figure that was standing amidst the flames, apparently unfazed by the heat, their eyes widening in wonderment as the flames died down, revealing Abyss, bereft of armor.

He was dressed in casual, yet nonetheless fine pants with good shoes, a white, long-sleeved shirt covered his torso, open at the neck and collar, revealing his neckline, a look, coupled with his handsome features and messy black hair, which gave him the appearance of a well-to-do ladies man.

What set the man apart from regular humans however, were the fact that his skin was a shade of grey normally associated with statues or corpses, and the black blood that dripped to the floor from his injured arm.

"Ah…" Abyss sighed, shaking his head, his features lined with mild displeasure as he brushed his hair back, revealing a line of stigmata across his brow "I lost…oh well, nothing new there…"

"Black Blood…" Lelouch wondered, his eyes narrowing in suspicion as he eyed the dark skinned man before him, as Judai gaped in shock "Who…no, what in the hell are you?"

"Category King of Hearts." A voice called out, the duo looking up as a masked, cloaked figure stepped out from behind Abyss "Otherwise known as the Pleasure Noah."

The masked man paused, turning to face the teens, sweeping his cloak aside in a stage bow.

"It's been a long time…Decade."

* * *

Kyugan: And so it ends...

Shinji: FINA-FUCKING-LY!

Kyugan: Don't worry, you got a bigger role in the next world.

Shinji: Thank Lillith's tits.

Kyugan: they are magical aren't they...can't believe your mainstream one never noticed.

Shinji: Like I said, don't compare me to that little pussy.

Lelouch: Yes, your 'remake of evangelion' foil was SO much better.

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

The enemies stand face to face...

Zero: The Pleasure Noah...

?: oi, oi...did you have to use my full title?

_As the Curtain falls on Ryuki's world._

Lelouch: Got tired of skulking around in the shadows?"

Zero: I cannot interfere with the affairs of the Rider Worlds...To do so...would make me no better than YOU."

_As the actors take their leave..._

Lelouch: You bastard…

Zero: The experiment has concluded…it's time for us to take our leave.

_The Heroes stand before themselves._

Decade: Hardly looks like something that spawns countless monsters.

Ryuki: I was kinda hoping it'd be…bigger, more intimidating.

_The Final obstacle is overcome..._

Ryuki: This is my world…I have to be the one to do it.

?: Looks like the games over…

_And the World breathes a sigh of relief._

Ryuki: Did…did that do it?

Decade: That SHOULD have done it.

_But beware...for if you gaze to deep into the mirror..._

Decade: Maybe there's some sort of delayed re-!"

_You may never find your way back OUT._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	22. Intermission: Lost Ace

Sorry folks, my bad.

This chapter was meant to come out first.

* * *

Intermission: Lost Ace.

"Category King of Hearts." Zer declared, Lelouch and Judai tensing up as the masked, cloaked figure stepped out from behind the man that had been Kamen Rider Abyss "Otherwise known as the Pleasure Noah."

"Oi-oi…" the Noah queried, his laid-back tone laced with mild annoyance as he shot a lazy glare over his shoulder "Did you really need to use my full title?" he shrugged offhandedly as he reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes "Man, you certainly took your sweet time getting here, ran into traffic?"

"Noah?" Lelouch muttered, his brow furrowing, only to ignore the dark skinned man as he cupped his hands to light his cancer stick, the purple-eyed teen instead turning the full force of his glare on the masked arrival "I know you…" he muttered, Shinji and Hikari's description rising to the fore of his memory "you're that caped bastard that's been following me around."

"My name is Zero," the masked man greeted, turning to face the teens, sweeping his cloak aside in a stage bow, though Lelouch could feel the man's hidden gaze lock onto him the entire time "It's been a long time…Decade."

"Long time?" Lelouch repeated, scoffing as he shook his head "A long time COMING maybe, I've been looking forward to getting my hands on you." He smirked at the masked man "What's the matter? Got tired of skulking around in the shadows?"

"I normally despise such methods." Zero admitted, his modulated tone betraying no emotion, though Lelouch thought he picked up a hint of, disgust, as if his comment had struck closer to home "However, I cannot interfere with the affairs of the Rider Worlds too much. To do so would only accelerate the problem, and would make me no better than YOU."

"Me?" Lelouch repeated, his brow furrowing, though he brushed it off, shaking his head in disbelief as he shrugged "Oh that's rich, I'll have you know that this is the THIRD world I've had to help save." He thumbed over his shoulder "Hell if it weren't for me, Judai here would've been fish food."

"Regardless," Zero countered, spreading an arm out to the side dramatically "Your very presence in the world can lead to nothing short of misfortune." He inclined is head towards the teen "Or did you honestly think the events of Kuuga AND in Kiva's respective worlds were just coincidence?"

"You bastard…"Lelouch growled, glaring at the masked man in suspicion "Don't tell me…you were behind all of that-?"

"No." Zero countered, shaking his masked head "That was the result of your presence in those worlds…no matter what your intentions, misfortune will always herald your arrival, and you shall leave naught but destruction with your passing."

"This guy sounds like a televangelist I used to know…" Judai muttered, the brunet sweatdropping as he shook his head in disbelief, before pointing at the smoking Noah, who blew a smoke ring, apparently without a care in the world "THAT guy was the cause of all the trouble here, not Lamperouge-san!"

"I have a name you know." The Noah pointed out, sighing with mild irritation as he eyed the brunet with a reproachful stare "Tykki Mikk, friends call me Tykki." He shook ash off the end of his cancer stick "And there's a funny story behind that actually. See, I wound up in this world by accident," he chuckled "threw me for a loop I can tell you, being the only one of my kind around…" he snorted "Course, not having to worry about the Riders was a nice plus." He shrugged "However, the air here just doesn't seem to sit with me for some reason…hell the more I breathe the weaker I seem to get…just when I'm about to kick it, along comes Zero here, who offers to send me home provided I help him out."

"And you say I'M the one causing destruction in the worlds?" Lelouch demanded, glaring at Zero, who remained silent "At least I'm not the one teaming up with monsters!"

"It was a necessary experiment." Zero explained, though Lelouch thought he picked up a hint of…hesitancy in the man's modulated voice "None of the other Riders would listen, so I was forced to improvise."

"By letting that guy run around in Rider armor?" Judai exclaimed, pointing at Tykki Mikk, who ignored him in favor of blowing smoke rings "Man whatever medication you're on you need to ease up on the prescription!"

"Oh he's going to NEED those meds…" Lelouch promised, the purple-eyed teen slapping the Decadriver around his waist, drawing a card from the Ridebooker as he glared at the masked man angrily "That is, whatever's left of him that the hospital can find after I'm through with him."

"There will be no need for that." Zero countered, spreading his arm wide, a wall of fog rising behind them "The experiment has concluded…it's time for us to take our leave."

"About damn time…" Tykki Mikk muttered, putting out his cigarette with his foot "That was my last one, they just don't sell my brand here."

"Hold it!" Lelouch called out, glaring at the duo as they turned to leave "You think you can just walk away? We're not finished here!"

"You're right, we're not." Zero agreed, turning to look over his shoulder at the purple-eyed teen, even as Tykki Mikk stepped into the fog "This will not be over…nor will the destruction of the worlds cease…until you have been destroyed."

"Hold it!" Lelouch called out, reaching out for the masked man's caped shoulder, only for Zero to deftly step into the fog, which vanished before Lelouch could even think to follow after the retreating pair, the teen's hand closing on naught but air "Dammit!" he swore, glaring at the spot Zero had occupied moments before "I almost had him!"

"Easy there, Lamperouge-san." Judai offered, placing a hand on the elder teen's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down "You'll get him next time."

"Too right I will." Lelouch growled, exhaling angrily through his nose "That guy's been making my life hell for something I haven't done."

"You think what he said was true?" Judai asked, eyeing the elder Rider in concern "All that stuff about the other worlds you went to?"

"Hell if I know." Lelouch countered, shaking his head, his temper cooling, though not entirely vanishing as he thought back to the masked man's words "For all I know he staged everything so he could look like a hero when he takes me down."

"Well for what it matters…" Judai reasoned, smiling at the elder teen "You're looking pretty heroic yourself there."

"Thanks…" Lelouch muttered wryly, feeling the aches of his battered bones and the dried blood that ran down the side of his head from the impact with the wall. Even Rider armor couldn't completely defend from being bitch-slapped through a wall by a monster it seemed.

He looked up, Judai following his gaze to stare at the Core Mirror, standing as calm as could be, surrounded by the silken sheets, completely unaffected by the damage to the parking structure.

"What say we finish this?" Lelouch asked, turning to smirk at Judai, the younger teen nodding, his eyes hardening, face filled with grim determination as the two riders turned to face the mirror, readying their respective belts "HENSHIN!"

**"Kamen Ride: Decade!"** the Decadriver declared, even as Judai slid his deck into place, the two Riders going through their respective transformations, nodding to one another as they advanced on the mirror at a slow walk.

"Hardly looks like something that spawns countless monsters." Decade muttered, eyeing the, admittedly alluring slab of glass critically.

"I know what you mean…" Ryuki muttered, looking it over "I was kinda hoping it'd be…I dunno…bigger, more intimidating…"

"Hell there isn't even a frame," Decade muttered, gesturing towards the slab of glass with a hint of disgust in his tone "it's just standing there, practically ASKING for someone to smash it. I mean it's a wonder it didn't just tip over during the fight."

"It would've saved us a lot of grief if it did…" Ryuki muttered, recalling all his fallen comrades with a hint of resentment, his fist tightening as their faces flashed before him "This thing's caused too much pain…"

"Want me to do it?" Decade asked, looking at the younger rider in concern "I AM supposed to be the 'Destroyer' after all."

"No…" Ryuki countered, though he chuckled slightly at the elder Rider's attempt at cheering him up "This is my world…I have to be the one to do it."

"Well said." Decade agreed, stepping back as Ryuki stepped up to the mirror, the dragon Rider breathing heavily as he centered himself, before rearing back, lashing out with a powerful punch, hitting the mirror dead in it's reflective centre, shattering it into countless shards that fell to the ground in a cacophony of sound.

* * *

The screen shatters, the image of a red-eyed rider appearing in the background.

_The Destroyer of Worlds...Decade..._

The image is replaced by Lelouch, Shinji, Judai, Jun, Asuka and Chronos doing their respective Henshin poses.

_What does he see as he traverses the Parallel Worlds?_

First Shinji, then Hikari and finally Lelouch are walking towards the camera, a park in the background. The scene changes to show the male teens walking past each other, in front of Hikari. Judai is seen from behind, holding up a card with a red dragon on it. Looking up at the camera, Ryuki's form appears behind him, facing a series of reflections of themselves.

_Asayake ni tsutsumarete..._

Lelouch is seen standing in the crowd. He draws a Kamen Ride card from his pocket.

_Hashiri dashita yukubeki michi wo._

He looks up from the Card to stare at his reflection in a nearby window. Ryuki's reflection looks back at him.

_Jounetsu no BEKUTOORU ga..._

The Ryuki Riders appear, doing their opening poses, their images replacing one another as they turn to face the camera.

_Boku no mune wo tsuranuiteyuku._

As Odin's image crosses his arms, a shadowy figure is seen standing before a mirror, his long white hair obscuring half his face.

_Donna kiken ni..._

Several Rider Decks are shown, their images reflected as they move away from one another.

_kizutsuku koto ga ate mo-!_

Ryuki, Knight, Zolda and Femme's decks slide into place, even as Kuuga's belt lights up, and the Decadriver is activated.

_Yume yo odore,_

Lelouch Transforms into Decade, while Ryuki is seen fighting with Ohja.

_Kono hoshi no moto de!_

Kuuga and Zolda join in the fight, fending off Imperer and Scissors, while Femme and Knight clash with Tiger and Verde.

_Nikushimi wo utsushidasu Kagami nante kowasuhodo!_

The riders are seen riding their respective vehicles, the scene changes to reveal Zero's back, the masked man turning to face the camera, spreading his cape wide with one arm.

_Yume ni mukae,_

Hikari looks up, catching what appear to be fallen snow petals, but which are in fact glass shards, with the Riders contained within.

_Mada bukiyoudemo..._

Decade is seen walking towards the city at a sedate pace, the streets deserted. Zero stands atop a skyscraper, his cape flowing behind him as the wind blows towards him, as he glares down at Decade.

Ikiteiru hageshisa wo…

Dragredder, Blancwing and Darkwing fly towards the city, the camera changes to reveal their Riders, walking side by side as their Contract Beasts fly overhead.

_Karadajuu de tashikameta-i!_

Shinji, Hikari, Judai, Asuka, Jun, Chronos and Lelouch are seen through passing mirrors. The Images change to reveal Zero and Decade, the latter of whom raises his fists. Zero's red sword clashes with the Ridebooker sword, the two warriors coming face to face as the title screen appears, Ryuki's crest glowing in the centre of the Decadriver.

* * *

_Off to the side..._

A figure stepped nimbly out from behind a pillar, walking at a sedate pace, unnoticed by the Riders, as she made her way towards the spot Zero had vacated. "Thought they'd never leave…" she sighed, her tone laced with mild annoyance as she rotated her shoulder "I hate it when other people ramble on…"

Shaking her head, the tall figure knelt down, her face, what wasn't shadowed by the brim of her baseball cap, splitting in a pleased smirk as she scooped up Abyss' Rider deck from the floor, dusting the soot off the golden Shark crest with her free hand.

"Now this is quite the find." She noted, picking up her attaché case and securing the pilfered deck amidst the contents "I wonder if I should grab Odin's…that Time Vent has SO many possibilities…"

She looked up as someone yelled, followed by the sound of shattering glass, her lips pouting at the sight of Ryuki shattering the core mirror, "Looks like the games over…" she noted, smirking to herself as she turned her gaze towards Decade, who was standing back, allowing Ryuki to finish the job "That's three I owe you tiger." She noted, shutting the attaché case with a click, standing up to her full height as she slung it over her shoulder "Maybe I should say thank you if we bump into each other next time."

So saying, she turned on her heel, and promptly disappeared into another wall of mist, which vanished just as quickly.

* * *

_With Ryuki and Decade..._

Ryuki stood there, his fist occupying the empty space the mirror had once occupied, his breath coming in ragged gasps while Decade looked on from the side, the last of the shards laying at the dragon Rider's feet.

"…is that it?" Decade asked, looking on with a hint of disappointment in his tone, even as Ryuki blinked, looking from his fist to their surroundings.

"Did…did that do it?" Ryuki asked, looking around in confusion, trying to ascertain if anything has changed "No…this is still the mirror world, right?"

"Looks like it…" Decade muttered, thumbing in the direction of an Exit sign, the kanji and picture reversed, a clear sign of a reflection.

"Man what gives?" Ryuki demanded, the younger rider grabbing his head, gesturing as if he were messing up his hair as he gyrated on the spot "We smashed the mirror right? That means it's over!"

"It SHOULD be over…" Decade agreed, looking around at the wrecked parking structure, mildly annoyed with this turn of events "I don't know, maybe there's some sort of delayed r-?"

The world went white.

* * *

_LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN-!_

"Lelouch-san?" Shinji called out, the last Ikari gazing down at the elder teen in confused concern as he continued to stare straight ahead "Are you alright?"

"Wha…Shinji?" the purple-eyed teen stammered, shaking his head, one hand coming up to cover his eye as he blinked the image of Tim Curry in bondage gear out of his vision "What happened? Where are we?"

"How should I know?" Shinji demanded, looking at the elder rider in exasperation, though there was concern in his eyes "One minute you're wondering what this new world's going to be like, the next thing I know you just keeled over."

"Fainted?" Lelouch wondered, blinking in confusion, only to sit up straight, his eyes widening in alarm as he looked around "Wait! Where's Judai?"

"Who?" Shinji repeated, blinking in confusion as he stepped back from the teen as Lelouch took in his surroundings, namely a bus stop "You sure you're not dreaming?"

"A dream?" Lelouch repeated, sitting up on the bench, "All of that…?" he wondered, looking down at his hand, only to pause at the sight of his clothes.

"Yeah, your outfit changed again." Shinji noted, watching as the elder Rider stood up to get a look at his Armani business suit "Hikari thought it made you look handsome."

"What can I say?" Lelouch chuckled, the teen fixing the lapels of his jacket as he eyed himself in a nearby window "I look good in anything."

"Modest too…" Shinji deadpanned, though it was with an amused undertone, as he'd grown used to the elder teen's smug, confident attitude. It reminded him of Asuka actually, only less domineering.

"Speaking of which, where's Hikari?" Lelouch asked, turning away from admiring his reflection as he noticed the girl's absence "Don't tell me we lost her?"

"She went off to get some water and a map." Shinji explained, looking around with a concerned look on his face "It's weird though…that was almost an hour ago…"

"We interrupt your usual broadcast for a special news bulletin." A voice called out, the two riders looking up at a massive Jumbotron mounted on the side of a skyscraper "The President of Kaibacorp, Seto Kaiba, was admitted to hospital after being assaulted earlier today." The image displayed a proud looking man with brown hair and a haughty sneer, only to switch to a more familiar face "The Assailant, one Hikari Horaki, is currently being detained for questioning."

"Hikari-san?" Shinji gaped, the last Ikari staring up at the screen, even as images of the supposed assault were played, showing Hikari use her trademark technique on the young president.

"Looks like her crimes finally caught up to her…" Lelouch noted wryly, earning a dazed nod from a dazed Shinji, only to snort as the Ikari recovered and slapped him on the chest for the bad joke "Well then," he chuckled "let's go see what she's done now."

* * *

_Bokuto police station..._

"I haven't done anything!" Hikari insisted, looking across the table at the police chief of Bokuto station, her hands cuffed and her freckled features upset.

"So you say…" the chief agreed soothingly, sighing as he set a cup of AWFUL coffee from the machine in the hallway before him "But I'm afraid Kaiba-san's word says otherwise, the man's got a lot of clout round these parts." He looked up as the door opened, revealing a dazed looking Futaba Aoi "What is it?"

"Horaki-san's lawyer is here…" the tall, distracting brunet explained, the chief blinking at her dazed, almost trancelike tone, even as she stepped aside, admitting a young foreigner, not even in his twenties by the look of him, in a well cut Armani suit, and a Japanese teen around the freckled girl's age.

"So this is where she is…" the foreign teen muttered, his tone laced with bemused annoyance, as if Hikari were a child that had run off in a fit "Good grief, I warned you what that habit of yours would do."

"Excuse me." The captain interrupted, turning his attention from the flushing, and not entirely out of anger, Hikari, and the foreign teen "But who are you?"

"Lelouch Lamperouge." The foreign teen introduced, fixing the lapel of his jacket, displaying the golden pin for the man to see "I'm Horaki-san's defense attorney."

"That was quick…" the chief muttered, sweatdropping as Aoi continued to gaze dreamily of into the distance, a distant smile on her face "I only just sent off for you."

"It's a talent." Lelouch assured the man, the chief sweatdropping as Hikari and the boy that accompanied the foreign teen rolled their eyes as he took a seat "Now then…just what has she been accused of?"

"I didn't do anything!" Hikari insisted, jabbing her thumb at the teen's neck, only to be deflected by his placing a finger between the links of the cuffs, a smug smirk on his face as she pouted, "I really didn't!"

"According to the report…" the chief countered, flipping open the document on the desk before him with a wary look between the two "Hikari-san encountered Kaiba-san outside a nearby game store…witnesses say that an argument broke out, during which she did something that caused him to collapse laughing on the ground."

"Why am I not surprised…?" Lelouch muttered, a deadpan expression on his face as he turned one purple eye to glare at the flushing girl.

"But, he was being really rude!" Hikari insisted, slapping the table "I saw him bump into some poor kid coming out of the store, which caused his briefcase to spill open. The poor kid was knocked to the ground, but he kept shouting at him for spilling a bunch cards out of the case, he even stood over the kid as he made him pick them up!"

"Cards?" Shinji repeated, looking from his fellow survivor to the police chief, who nodded his head in confirmation after reading the report "You mean business cards?"

"Not even!" Hikari insisted, looking absolutely disgusted "They were just some ridiculous children's playing cards! I mean I saw kids buying them at 100 yen a packet at the store! But he was going on like the poor boy had stolen his wallet!" she huffed "Well naturally I wasn't going to have that, so I walked up and gave him a piece of my mind, but when I belittled the cards he grabbed for me and I just…" she fell into silence.

"Well…" Lelouch scoffed, shaking his head as he turned to look at the chief, a confident smirk on his face "Not only did she act in self defense, but the man's clearly delusional. I think we can bump this down to a simple slap on the wrist, right?"

"I'm afraid not." The chief countered with a sigh "Seto Kaiba isn't just the president of Kaiba Corp, he's the former World Duel Monsters Champion. That gives him a lot of clout. Enough to get the higher courts involved."

"Clout?" Lelouch repeated, a deadpan expression on his face "You're telling me that just because this guy's a champion at playing some ridiculously overblown Children's Card Game, he's basically able to screw the rules?"

"That, and a lot of money." The chief added, quirking an eyebrow at Lelouch's slandering of the most popular card game in the world. Maybe it just wasn't as popular in Europe? The name sounded European to him…

"Ah yes," Lelouch noted, nodding his head at that more acceptable reason "And I suppose money does talk." He reasoned, sitting back in his chair "So what now?

"Well," the chief sighed, sitting back "If you're her attorney, then I suppose you've already been granted a Rider Deck, correct?" he frowned at Lelouch and Shinji's look of confusion "You ARE a Kamen Rider, aren't you?"

"I am." Lelouch admitted, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as he pulled out the Decadriver for the man to see, shoving it quickly out of view "What of it?"

"Then you will be able to represent Hikari-san in the Kamen Rider Trial that is to follow." The chief explained, noting the looks of confusion once again "Oh, I'm sorry, is this your first Rider Trial?"

"I'm afraid this is the first I've even heard of it." Lelouch admitted, trying to come off as indifferent, though Shinji could see the teen's shoulder's tense "What does it entail?"

"Kamen Riders battle one another for their opinions in a battle trial." The chief explained, activating a nearby screen, which depicted the twelve Ryuki Riders, plus one more, which looked like Ryuki only in black armor "Those chosen to be Riders, both prosecutors and defense, battle it out in the Mirror World until there is only one left. The winner of the Rider Trial will pass sentence."

"Let me get this straight…" Lelouch deadpanned, covering his face with one hand, Shinji taking a step back as he FELT the aggravation in the older teen's voice "The Riders battle each other, TO THE DEATH, in order to resolve a matter that was brought up because some spoiled rich kid with too much money dropped a bunch of Children's Playing Cards?"

"Er…no," the chief muttered, a little uneasy at the sudden change in the air around the foreign teen, as if someone had lit a fuse that was slowly reaching the powder, the tension going out of Lelouch's shoulders at his admission "Not to the DEATH, obviously, the losers are simply ejected from the judging."

The silence was so thick you'd need an Attack Ride to cut it, Shinji having plastered himself against the far wall as Lelouch lifted his head, one eye slowly coming into view to glare into the Chief's with the force of a laser, glowing a light red with a winged crest.

Needless to say, Hikari got off scott free, the courts judging it self-defence, and a certain company president got to spend a little quality time in a nice, padded cell, with restrictive clothing and enough mind-altering substances to keep him from gnawing on the bars.

It just goes to show that you didn't need money to screw the rules. Of course, being able to brainwash the entire police force and judicial system was a big help.

* * *

"Can you believe this place?" Lelouch muttered, shaking his head in disgust as they walked down the street, the elder Rider glaring at a group of 'duelists' going at it. The fact said duelists were over ninety years old wasn't helping matters "Seriously, I've heard that some trends never grow old but come on!"

"Aoi-san even told me they were planning to integrate Duel Monsters into the legal system as well." Shinji admitted, only to flinch as Lelouch's ronded on him, his irritable glare boring into him like a hawk's "Hey! Don't shoot the messenger!"

"I just don't see the point of it all." Hikari admitted, frowning disapprovingly at a passing group of students that were playing as they went "Seriously, you'd think they had nothing better to do."

"Who cares?" Lelouch muttered, shaking his head in annoyance as he walked down the street, his eyes locking onto a familiar set of gate posts "This world's problems seem to have eased up…at the very least they aren't going around KILLING each other anymore." He waved a hand at his comrades' looks of confused alarm "Long story, tell you later, right now the only thing I care about is getting out of here before-!"

"Look out!" a familiar voice called out, Lelouch turning just in time to be run over by a familiar shock of brownish-ginger hair, the two going down in a tangle of limbs. "Ow…Sorry about that!" the owner of the hair offered, sitting back to reveal a teen with an embarrassed smirk on his face "Wasn't paying attention."

"It's alright…" Lelouch muttered, though you could tell by his tone that he was annoyed at this latest turn of events, only to blink as he got a good look at his assailant "Judai?"

"Huh?" the teen blinked, looking up at the purple-eyed foreigner in understandable confusion "Uh…sorry if this comes off as weird…" he wondered "but have we met before?"

"I guess not." Lelouch countered, shaking his head and offering an apologetic smile, though if you looked closely you'd see a hint of sadness in his eyes "Here, let me help you gather your things."

"Hey thanks." The teen offered, smiling as they set about picking up his scattered belongings, shoving them back into his backpack "I was late enough the first time I fell, I was worried this would keep me from enrolling."

"I see." Lelouch noted, smiling softly to himself as he espied a familiar black case, adorned with a golden dragon crest, among the teen's belongings, "First day of school?"

"More like the entrance exam." Judai admitted, rubbing the back of his head "I was so excited about being allowed to go that I slept in."

"Now that's the right attitude to have!" Hikari insisted, smiling proudly at the young man as she handed him the last of his things "Good luck at your entrance exam! Which school are you going to?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Judai asked, the dragon Rider grinning as he held up, to the trio's shock, a deck of playing cards "I'm going to Duel Academia!" he admitted, turning on his heel and running off with a wave "You're looking at the Next King of Games!"

Needless to say, by the time Judai's entrance exam was concluded, a certain company president's tenure in the hotel 'funny farm' was amped up to permanent residency.

Which wasn't entirely bad, the little Blue Eyes White Dragon chibis were always there to keep him company.

* * *

_Watanuki's back yard..._

"I swear…" Lelouch muttered, pulling off his tie as he all but stamped through the gateposts into Watanuki's front lawn "Some people just don't know what to do with their time and money."

"I have to agree with you this time, Lamperouge-san." Hikari agreed, looking most prim and proper as she walked in alongside Shinji, who was shooting the two nervous glances "Honestly, devoting an entire SCHOOL to teaching children how to play a CARD GAME even kindergarteners can figure out…"

"Let's stop talking about it." Lelouch cut in, his eyebrow twitching at the mention of Duel Academia, which wasn't the WORST of Kaiba's obsession with the blasted game, apparently the man was planning to combine the game with motorcycle racing next "I swear if I see one more of those blasted cards I'm going to-!"

"Lelouch?" Shinji began, blinking in confusion as the elder Rider came to a sudden, abrupt halt, his eyes locked onto the scene before him, the younger rider walking round the corner to see what was wrong.

"Welcome back." Watanuki greeted, the bespectacled teen, as always, sitting on his porch, apparently heedless of the look of mental anguish on Lelouch's face as he held up several by now familiar cards, kneeling on a mat in front of Mokona, who waved another handful in greeting "Care to join?"

* * *

_Mirror World..._

Ryuki blinked, looking up in confusion as he and his fellow Riders paused in their battle to determine whether or not Seto Kaiba, who was committed earlier that day, should be released from his incarceration, as a scream of mental anguish tore through the Mirror World.

Ryuki, personally, wanted to see the young business mogul released, as anyone that loved card games as much as Kaiba they'd erect a SCHOOL devoted to teaching people how to play it COULDN'T be insane.

However, the scream threw the teen off just long enough for Zolda, who hadn't taken too kindly to being defeated during the entrance duel, to come up behind him and blast him out of the Trial with his shoot vent.

Needless to say, Kaiba wasn't going to be released anytime soon.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another world...

The rain fell heavily on a deserted mountain range, covered with lush, teeming forests that covered the range from base to summit. The rain was of no concern, however, to the duo that walked side by side along a partially covered track that led to the mouth of a nearby cave, peering intently into the darkness within as the rain fell off their cloaks, which covered everything but their lower faces from view, the lightning crashing ominously behind them.

One of them pulled out a flare, cracking the lid, lighting up the mouth of the cavern with fiery red light, before dropping the makeshift light in the entrance, stepping in out of the rain, his comrade hot on his heels as they continued to light flares, leaving them behind in a makeshift line, either to guide their way back or to lead others after them was anyone's guess, their footsteps in the muddy ground the only sound as they moved deeper into the caverns.

"This is…" the one in the lead muttered, looking up in wonderment as they stepped into a chamber, filled with stalactites and stalagmites, which were clearly visible thanks to an eerie blue light, which shone from a pool in the centre.

"Hey!" the follower called out, stepping back into the tunnel they'd walked down, his eyes squinting at the figure standing at the entrance to the cave "Is this related to what you were looking for?"

"Indeed…" a shadowy figure agreed, dressed in a well-tailored suit, stepping into the cavern to get out of the rain "We've found it, Master."

* * *

Again, apologies for the mixup. Thought I'd posted this already, when in fact I accidentally deleted it.


	23. D Blade Man

Kyugan: Here we go, another Rider World.

Lelouch: Oh joy, another rendition of Tokyo...

Kyugan: Dude, Kamen Rider's set in Japan, get over it.

Lelouch: But why always Tokyo? Seriously, the same Baseball stadium is used in almost EVERY series!

Shinj: Nowthat you mention it...

Lelouch: Hell, because of Stock Footage, even DRAGON KNIGHT occurs in the Ventaran version of Japan!

Ghost Nappa: Man in the Mi-rror!

Lelouch: Oh God he's singing again...

* * *

BOARD games.

"I can't believe that idiot." Lelouch muttered, a scowl on his handsome features as he stepped out of the gateposts of Watanuki's store, a bemused Shinji and Hikari hot on his heels "I swear, he does it DELIBERATELY to piss me off."

"Watanuki-san has a…strange sense of humor…" Hikari reasoned, trying hard not to laugh at the memory of Lelouch's mental breakdown at the sight of the storekeeper playing duel monsters with Mokona.

"TWISTED is more like it." Shinji muttered, a deadpan expression on his face as he turned to eye Lelouch out the corner of his eyes "Reminds me of someone else…"

"Watch it." Lelouch growled, though there was a note of wry amusement in his tone as he glared at the younger rider, before sighing and shaking his head "In any case, I wonder what role I'm supposed to play in this new world."

"Excuse me." A voice called out, the trio turning to see a tall woman of Germanic descent walking arm in arm with a large, balding man of Austrian descent "Are…are you a fortune teller by any chance?"

"Huh?" Lelouch stammered, blinking at the pair like they'd sprouted horns, only to look down at his clothes to find he was now dressed in what appeared to be a monks robe over a Victorian waistcoat and black pants, the strange winged glyph that normally adorned his clothes hanging from a chain around his neck "Oh for the love of-!"

"Watanuki's shop's gone again." Shinji noted offhandedly, trying hard not to burst out laughing at the elder Rider's predicament as Hikari giggled behind her fingers "On the plus side, there's a fortune teller's shop with your picture on the front."

"I should've set his damn cards on FIRE." Lelouch growled, earning a look of alarm from the happy couple, only to sigh and gesture for them to come in "Come on then…I'll give you a free reading."

"Really!" the woman gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth in surprised delight, even as Shinji and Hikari eyed the elder teen in understandable confusion "You really don't have to, we can pay-!"

"Relax, you're my first customers of the day." Lelouch assured her, omitting the fact that they were technically his first customers EVER "Consider it a gift for the lovely couple."

"Oh!" the woman flushed, twiddling her fingers nervously as the giant man blushed beside her, the two of them looking at each other shyly "Um…we're not…that is to say."

"Come in, come in." Lelouch insisted, leading the way into a modest little shop that was littered with books and trinkets that chimed in the wind, leading them over to a set of chairs, set before a long table.

"Now then…" he asked, taking a seat at one side of the table while the woman and her escort sat at the other "Might I have you names? Mr. and Mrs.…?"

"M-Miranda Lotto…" the woman stammered, her face flushing scarlet at the teen's insinuation, her fingers kneading her skirts in embarrassment.

"Noise Marie." The man greeted, his embarrassment less obvious, though he coughed discretely as he took the woman's hand in his "and we're not married."

"Yet." Lelouch noted, as if stating a fact, his smile cryptic as ever as the pair looked at him in embarrassed surprise "That's a nice engagement ring you have Miss Lotto, Mr. Marie has marvelous taste for a military man."

"How did you…" Miranda began, looking from the stoic Marie to Lelouch, who simply waved a hand dismissively.

"That matters little," the purple eyed teen insisted, his eyes boring into the woman's, since it would have little effect on her partner "I can see that the two of you have become very close in a short space of time…you're most likely colleagues, correct?"

"We met at work." Marie admitted, his tone making it clear he didn't buy this fortunetelling B.S. for one second, even as he gripped Miranda's hand comfortingly "I only proposed the other day."

"It must have been quite the shock for you, Miss Lotto." Lelouch reasoned "For a military man to propose to a former seamstress such as yourself." He waved a hand at their looks of surprise "Still, I'm certain that bachelorhood hasn't dulled his sense of commitment, you're certain to have a long and happy future together."

"T-thank you very much!" Miranda offered, beaming happily as she rose from her seat, a stunned Marie following suit as she all but dragged the tall man to his feet, the two of them stumbling out of the shop at a near run.

"Another satisfied customer." Lelouch chuckled, stretching his palms out, popping his joints in the process, even as a stunned Shinji and Hikari walked into view.

"Amazing…" Shinji stammered, watching the foreign couple as they rushed past the store window, features flushed "How'd you do that?"

"It's a talent."" Lelouch reasoned, smirking coyly up at the younger rider from his seat as he crossed his legs "No matter what my role, I can play it perfectly."

"I meant how were you able to make it so we could understand them." Shinji offered, an apologetic smile on his face as Lelouch stumbled, the elder Rider glaring at the younger as Hikari giggled "I mean, English isn't a language Hikari and I learned, but we understood every word those two said." He held up both hands "Not that your prediction wasn't impressive!"

"That wasn't a prediction." Lelouch countered, snorting dismissively at the younger Rider's naïveté "All I did was make note of their obvious traits to throw them off."

"You mean…you lied to them?" Shinji wondered, looking down at the elder Rider with a hint of disapproval in his tone.

"Not really." Lelouch countered "I could tell from her finger scars that Miss Lotto did a lot of knitting, and her clothes have obviously been well cared for." He nodded "Also, Mr. Marie's walk spoke of military training, and not just recently. This means he's served some time, long enough for certain habits to ingrain themselves, such as how he presses his clothes." He smirked at the teen "I promised them a free reading, I never said I'd be reading into their FUTURE."

"BAKA!" Hikari chided, jabbing the thumb of retribution into Lelouch's neck, the elder teen collapsing in a laughing fit as she stood over him "How could you trick such a nice couple? You'll be punished!"

"I'm already being punished…" Lelouch muttered between cackles, the purple eyed teen glaring up at the unrepentant class representative as he pulled himself off the floor, one hand clamped over his neck, only to turn as screams sounded outside the store, several people running past the window from further up the street.

"Sounds like trouble…" the elder teen noted, his anger with Hikari forgotten as he turned to face her "Stay inside and lock the door." He ordered, before nodding to Shinji "Let's Ride."

"Wait!" Hikari called out, only to sigh as the two Riders raced off to battle with the forces of evil, AGAIN, leaving her all alone "What am I supposed to do?"

* * *

_London street..._

"Kyahahahaha!" the weird creature called out, laughing as it launched spheres of energy into the panicking crowd, sending them scrambling out of the way.

At first glance, it looked like a morbidly obese, balding cherub with a black star on it's belly, that is until you took in the almost mechanical color of it's skin, and the manic bloodlust on it's face.

"Humans are so much fun!" the mechanical cherub cackled, watching as the crowd scattered before it, before lunging down and grabbing a nearby man as he tried to scramble away, gripping him by the neck and legs as it forcibly bent him, the man screaming as his back arched dangerously close to breaking point "Make a wish!"

**"Attack Ride: BLAST!" **a mechanical voice called out, the cherub squealing in alarm as several laser rounds impacted with it's unguarded back, causing it to drop it's prey and turn to face this new foe, scowling as the Riders pulled up behind it.

"What the hell is that thing?" Kuuga demanded, the red-clad Rider gaping at the unholy cherub with a hint of alarmed disgust.

"Category 4 of Clubs." Decade muttered, the green-eyed rider leveling the Ridebooker at the monstrosity with a cold stare "One of the Rank and File Noah…so this is that bastard's world."

"What bastard?" Kuuga asked, only to yelp as he was forced to roll behind a vintage automobile to avoid a hail of gunfire from the Noah, which had morphed its arms into Gatling guns "Shit! We're gonna need more firepower!"

"Indeed…" Decade agreed, standing with his back to a corner as he flipped the Ridebooker open, extracting a card from within as he opened up the Decadriver "And I've got just the man for the job!"

**"Kamen Ride: RYUKI!" **the Decadriver declared, three spectral reflections of the dragon Rider appearing over Decade's form as he dusted off his hands, before stepping backwards, disappearing into the glass of the store window, much to the shock of the patrons cowering within.

"How come I'M always playing the decoy?" Kuuga demanded, rolling out from cover as the vehicle exploded under the onslaught of weapons fire the Noah was unleashing.

"C'mon out!" the cherub demanded, firing incessantly at the red Rider as he rolled behind a building, a manic leer on its face "I thought you Riders were supposed to be tough!"

"Care to find out?" a voice asked, the cupid turning just in time to receive a savage right straight to the lower jaw that sent it crashing into another parked car, D-Ryuki stepping out of the store window it had been hovering before with a confident step "For all your bragging, you seem be the one with the glass jaw."

"Shut it!" the Noah snapped, bringing it's cannon's to bear on the Rider, only to yelp as Kuuga, in his Titan form, slashed down with his sword, cutting the firearms off at the elbow, sending them clattering to the ground "DAMMIT!" it roared, lunging towards the silver Rider "I'LL ROAST YOU FOR THAT!"

"Now there's an idea…" D-Ryuki noted, drawing another card from the Ridebooker and flicking it nimbly into the waiting Decadriver as Kuuga fended the cherub off with laughable ease.

**"Attack Ride: STRIKE VENT!"** the Decadriver declared, Ryuki's Strike Vent attaching itself to the Rider's arm as he reared back.

"Out of the way Shinji!" D-Ryuki warned, Kuuga looking back just in time to see what was coming, the silver Rider leaping to the side, the NOAH blinking in confusion as the transformed Rider punched forwards, sending a pillar of Dragon Fire right at the monster, it's screams echoing as it was picked up and slammed bodily against a distant wall.

* * *

As the dust settles...

"Done and done." D-Ryuki scoffed lifting his Strike Vent up and blowing on it dramatically, even as his image shattered, revealing Decade, who dusted off his hands "A little overdone, but then I like it extra crispy."

"Could've given me a better warning…" Kuuga muttered, still in his Titan form as he got to his feet, the younger Rider walking up to Decade, a little winded from the battle "still…you think that did…" He trailed off, the duo looking on in shock as the scorched form of the Noah staggered forward, breathing heavily but glaring defiantly at them all the while.

"Huh…" Decade noted, the green-eyed Rider shaking his head in disbelief as he watched the monster stagger towards them "Looks like Noah really ARE immortal."

"Immortal?" Kuuga repeated, looking between his comrade and their cherubic enemy as it reared back its head and roared in defiance "How're we supposed to beat it then?"

As he spoke, the Noah charged towards them once again, its arms already regenerating, only to pull up short as something that resembled an elaborate playing card slammed between its eyes, its battered body freezing in place.

"The hell?" Decade wondered, the two foreign Riders looking on as the Noah was sucked into the card, it's image appearing on the side, before following the projectile as it flipped back through the air towards the one that threw it "Huh…so the cavalry arrives at last."

"You there…" one of the Riders declared, for indeed there were three standing atop a nearby storefront, having appeared out of nowhere while the duo's attention was drawn to the charging Noah "Identify yourselves."

Decade frowned beneath his armor, taking in the local Riders' appearances. The three Riders were uniformly similar, save for their armor coloring and the shape of their helmets, one being red, and clearly female, the other being green and the last, with a slightly kingly appearance, being gold. It was the gold one who caught the card that had absorbed, 'or sealed' his memory corrected, the Category 4 Noah, and judging how the other two were keeping quiet, he was obviously their leader.

"I asked you identify yourselves." The golden Rider demanded once again, his tone harsh as he stashed the sealed Noah card away, before pointing a sword at the pair "Who are you?"

"Just a pair of passing through Kamen Riders." Decade shot back, his tone as confidently abrasive as ever as he matched the golden Rider's glare with one of his own.

"You don't look like BOARD Riders to me." The golden one denounced, his tone laced with suspicion as he glared at them "Who do you work for?"

"What was that?" Decade asked, holding a hand up to his helmet, feigning deafness as he continued to glare at the trio "I can't hear you, come on down to my level."

"You little…" the golden one began, only to pause and glare up at the larger, green Rider who placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Ease up, Kanda." The green Rider muttered, Decade frowning at the highly familiar voice as he eyed the taller Rider suspiciously "Thanks for the assist." He offered to the foreign pair, inclining his head in a nod "Are you associated with BOARD?"

"Like I said, we're just passing through." Decade replied, his tone decidedly more polite, though still suspicious, as he eyed the trio warily "We saw the Noah rampaging and acted, since no-one else seemed to be around."

"Just keep your nose out of BOARD business." The golden Rider snapped, glaring down at the duo as he shrugged off the larger rider, turning on his heel and leaping away, the other two following suite.

* * *

_As the Riders skedaddle..._

"What a prick." Decade muttered, shaking his head in annoyance, even as his transformation deactivated, leaving Lelouch in his Victorian garb, Kuuga changing back into Shinji, the last Ikari watching the trio leave in concern "Seriously, some people have no manners."

'Look who's talking…' Shinji muttered, sweatdropping as he eyed the purple eyed teen with a disbelieving expression, before shaking his head "So…those are the Riders of this world."

"I'm not so certain…" Lelouch countered, his tone suspicious as he eyed the rooftop the trio had vacated seconds before "The enemy we faced was a Noah, which means this world must be Kamen Rider Blade's." he scowled "But none of those three looked like Blade to me."

"How could you tell?" Shinji asked, only to blink as Lelouch flicked his wrist, holding up a card between two fingers for the teen to see.

"All of the Riders in this world are named after the lesser known Arcana for the traditional card suits." Lelouch revealed, flicking his wrist several more times, three more cards appearing between his fingers "The Ace of Clubs, Kamen Rider Leangle," he flipped the card over to reveal the corresponding card "the Ace of Diamonds, Kamen Rider Garren, the Ace of Hearts, Kamen Rider Chalice…" he flipped the last card over, revealing an ornate Ace of Spades "And Kamen Rider Blade."

"Wait a minute…" Shinji's eyes widened, sudden realization forming as he gaped up from the cards in alarm "Those Riders, they all had a diamond in the centre of their helmets!"

"And since there can only be ONE Garren, that means those three must be mass production models." Lelouch deduced, holding his chin "Which begs the question…where are the originals?"

"Where indeed." A coy voice opined, the Riders whipping round in time to see a woman sitting at a nearby café, waving politely at them "Hey there."

Lelouch frowned, eyeing the woman suspiciously as she sat calmly across from them, an open book in her lap, apparently completely at ease with the situation, despite the rampant destruction all around her.

Even sitting down the Riders could tell she was tall, taller than Lelouch at any rate, dressed in tight, form fitting jeans which accentuated her long, curved legs, expensive looking sneakers, a VERY fetching tank top, which was doing an impressive job of reigning in her…assets, over which she wore a light jean jacket, a baseball cap pulled over her head, her long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.

Her clothing aside, though they clearly stood out like a sore thumb in comparison to the frocks and lace of the time, what drew the Rider's attention was the strange aura that seemed to surround her, almost as if she were a big cat, eyeing up a nice, tasty herd of gazelle trying to decided which to pounce on.

"Like what you see?" the woman teased, smiling up at the teen, her head raising to reveal shining baby-blues behind a pair of rounded spectacles that served to accentuate her features "Ease up there tiger, you might give the wrong impression."

"Forgive me." Lelouch offered, his tone polite as he recovered from his moment of self-conscious embarrassment, though Shinji continued to sputter denials "Pardon me Miss, but have we met?"

"Hmm…" the woman wondered, her voice like a cat's purr as she sat back in her chair, eyeing the purple-eyed teen coyly as she subtly crossed her legs "No, I don't think we have." She smiled at him "That can change though."

"Another time perhaps." Lelouch suggested, interested despite himself, but something inside him, some inherent sense of self preservation, was screaming at him to 'RUN, RUN NOW, WHY ARE YOU STILL STANDING THERE YOU IDIOT?' which was all the more confusing as the woman hadn't done anything untoward, YET "Though if you could, perhaps you could tell me where I might find information regarding that monster that attacked."

"You mean the BOARD Riders, right?" the woman asked, smirking coyly as Lelouch's frown deepened, before snapping the book shut "Sorry," she offered, setting it on the table beside her "would love to help, but I'm just passing through myself."

"You…" Lelouch muttered, stepping forward at the woman's cheek, brow twitching at the sheer NERVE of her using his own catchphrase against him, only to blink as she vanished "Where-?" he began, only to yelp comically and jump as someone goosed him from behind.

"Mmm…" the woman noted, humming in approval as she stood behind the startled Rider, one hand securing her cap to her head, the other having retreated from assaulting his undefended posterior "Firm yet supple…just the way I like 'em."

"You bitch!" Lelouch swore, rounding on the woman with a snarl, only for her to disappear, her teasing laughter filling the abandoned streets, leaving him to fume silently in his anger.

"Who was that?" Shinji wondered, the last Ikari still red in the face from the woman's teasing as he turned to eye Lelouch, who was rubbing his rear tenderly "She made it sound like she knew you."

"Seems to be a trend…" Lelouch muttered, flinching slightly as he rubbed his tender arse, idly wondering if the woman's feel would leave a mark "Christ, first that caped freak goes around making my life hell, now I've got to wonder about some Amazon with wandering hands?"

"We never seem to catch a break, do we?" Shinji agreed, shaking his head at his comrade's streak of luck, or lack thereof, as Lelouch stalked over to the café to examine the woman's seat "Still, that doesn't change the fact that we've no leads as to the whereabouts of the other Riders."

"Maybe not…" Lelouch muttered, the Passing-Through Rider's moving frowning, his expression unreadable as he picked up the book the mysterious woman had left behind, holding it up for Shinji to see the title.

"Mask of the Kamen Rider?" the last Ikari read, his eyes blinking as he espied the four card symbols adorning the cover "You don't think?"

"I think we need to have a word with the author." Lelouch deduced, smiling wryly as he opened the cover to stare at the black and white photo within, only to frown at the writing inside.

_'Hope this helps Tiger, T.'_ He read, his eyebrow twitching as he espied a lipstick mark the woman had left next to her signature.

"That woman…!"

* * *

_Gentleman's Club: Jerry's..._

"Cheers!" several female voices called out around the small, the sound of champagne glasses clacking together echoing in the small, but comfy apartment, held in the delicate hands of several women in flamboyantly revealing dress, all of which sat around an even more flamboyantly dressed teen with messy red hair and an eye patch.

"Ladies, please! You flatter me!" the redhead offered, smiling rakishly at the courtesans, as they giggled around him, reclining back in his booth "Don't stop!"

"Oh Lavi!" one of them teased, slapping the redhead's wandering hand tauntingly as it slipped south of the border "But tell me, how does it feel to be the author of the number one best seller?"

"You have to ask?" Lavi replied, smirking as he embraced the two ladies at his side, who giggled at the attention "Of course it was going to be a hit, I wrote it after all!"

"In that case, I suggest hiring someone to check for spelling errors before you write your sequel." A cultured voice declared, the partygoers looking up to see a well dressed teen with purple eyes and regal features standing nearby with a younger teen of oriental descent, who was looking most uncomfortable as the elder teen stepped forward, copy of Lavi's book in hand "Though I must admit, it's an interesting read."

"I'm already being swamped by fans huh?" Lavi noted, smirking to himself as he sat up from between the giggling beauties "Come for an autograph have you?"

"If you'd be so kind," the teen agreed, though if you looked closely, you'd have noticed a flash of annoyance in his purple eyes "I've wanted to see you ever since I read your work."

"Easy there pal," Lavi chuckled, waving a hand before his face even as he accepted the proffered book from the teen "I'm flattered, believe me, but I don't swing that way." He smiled cheekily as the girls around him giggled, withdrawing a pen from his coat and licking the nib "So, who should I make this out to?"

"How about: To a Fellow Kamen Rider." The purple eyed teen suggested, smirking down at the redhead even as Lavi froze, his pen halting scant inches from the cover of the book as he glanced up sharply "Lavi Bookman…or do you prefer Kamen Rider Leangle?"

"…Sorry ladies…" Lavi offered, turning to smile at his groupies, who were looking between the pair with understandable confusion "Would you mind giving me a few minutes here? Help yourself to the bar, my treat!"

"Take my friend with you." The purple eyed teen suggested, smirking at the women as they filed past, cheering excitedly "He's new in town, give him a proper welcome."

"Lelouch-?" the japanese teen called out in alarm, flushing as several robust older women grabbed an arm each and led him out of the room, giggling at how cute the teen was "R-really ladies, t-this isn't-THOSE ARE MY PANTS!"

"Good girls." Lavi opined, sighing longingly as he sat back in his seat "A little overly enthusiastic, but they mean well." He opened his one eye to examine the remaining, purple-eyed teen before him "What did you say your name was?"

"Lelouch Lamperouge." The older teen introduced, inclining his head slightly as he held up the Decadriver for the one-eyed redhead to see "Just a passing through Kamen Rider, looking for a few answers."

"Well you came to the right place!" Lavi boasted, spreading his arms wide, gesturing to the rows of books that lined the walls of his rented apartment "I'm a wealth of information, though truth be told I prefer not to spill anything to just anyone."

"Anyone BUT your lovely ladies, correct?" Lelouch reasoned, only to snort as the redhead gave a cavalier, unrepentant smile "I'm looking for your comrades, the other Riders."

"Well now," Lavi sighed, leaning back in his chair dramatically "That's a bit of a problem, you see we all split up after we sealed the last Noah." He shrugged "Went our own ways, know what I mean? I mean being a Rider was cool and all, but it didn't bring in the cash…or the women if you catch my drift." He waggled his eyebrow at the purple-eyed teen "So what is it you want with us? Come to ask your seniors for advice?"

"I fought a Noah earlier today." Lelouch revealed, his tone strictly business, even as Lavi froze in his seat "It was category Four of Clubs…sound familiar?"

"Impossible…" Lavi breathed, the redhead's features switching from stunned silence to disbelief as he sat up in his chair "I sealed that one myself! Are you certain?"

"About my height, fat, bald, looks like a cherub and can change its arms into firearms?" Lelouch asked, nodding his head grimly as Lavi's features darkened with each description of the Noah "I knocked it down but three other Riders showed up and sealed it, looked like they were trying to keep this hush-hush."

"Well that stands to reason…" Lavi muttered, getting up from his armchair and pacing around the room, holding his chin as he gave his full attention to the matter at hand "I mean, BOARD was always insistent that the existence of the Noah be kept a secret from the general public…" he shook his head "Still…how in the hell did Category Four get unsealed? We never handed the cards over to BOARD, hell the others and I are the only ones who knew where they were stashed…"

"Apparently not." Lelouch opined, standing with his back to the door as he watched the redheaded former Rider pace around the room, "I don't know, or care, how well you believe you hid the sealed Noah, the fact is that where there's one, there's usually more…" he frowned "And if a lowly Category Four could escape it's seal…"

"Then the Category Jack, Queen and Kings won't be too far behind…" Lavi finished, his tone grim as he nodded at the purple-eyed teen's logic, halting in his pacing as he turned on his heel, grabbing a jacket off the wall "C'mon, we've gotta move."

"Where are we going?" Lelouch asked, though he stepped out of the redhead's path as he all but stormed out of his apartment, only pausing to lock the door behind him, before making their way down the stairs to the bar below.

"You said you wanted to find the other Riders, didn't you?" Lavi asked, smirking wryly over his shoulder despite the dark look that hid behind his eyes "Well you're in luck, we might not keep in touch like we used to, but I know where they are most of the time."

"One moment." Lelouch asked, pausing as they stepped into the bar proper, waving off the attentions of several interested women as he looked around "Where's Shinji? We're taking him with us."

"LELOUCH!" the last Ikari called out, appearing out of a curtained off area, his face marked with numerous kisses and his clothing askew, struggling futilely to keep his grip on his pants as he reached out to the purple eyed teen, his eyes wide as several hands pulled him back behind the curtains "HELP ME!"

"What?" Lavi asked, smiling raunchily as the purple eyed teen leveled a deadpan glare in his general direction, the last Ikari's cries for mercy audible over the sounds of merriment and the rustling of the curtains behind which he was surely being tortured "I told you that they got a little…overly enthusiastic."

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

As Lelouch and Lavi worked to rescue Shinji intact, mostly, from the overly eager courtesans, a familiar cloaked figure glared down at them from across the street.

"You're sure about this?" the little silver bat asked, fluttering around Zero's helmet, her tone coy as she watched Lelouch fend off the women's advances with notable skill "I mean, you're partially responsible after all."

"Anything that increases our ability to rid the world of Decade is no small price to pay." Zero countered, glaring at Lelouch from the shadows.

"That's what I like about you," the silver bat cooed, nuzzling Zero's helmet "You're so…determined…focused."

Zero said nothing, merely stepping backwards as a wall of fog appeared behind him, vanishing from view before the Riders within noticed him, though he didn't escape notice completely.

"So that's Zero…" the cap sporting woman noted, kicking her legs idly off the side of a nearby rooftop, her lips pursed in a mild frown "God, I HATE those self-righteous, 'ends justify the means' types…so full of themselves…"

Sighing to herself, she pushed herself off the roof, landing in a back alley near the inn with the grace of a cat, smirking to herself as she watched Lelouch and Lavi drag a frazzled, doe-eyed Shinji out of there, the purple-eyed teen looking less than amused.

"Looks like I might have to help out a little more…"

* * *

Kyugan: And we'll leave off there!

Lelouch: FINALLY! A decent cup of tea!

Shinji: Hey, I take offence to that!

Hikari: Let it go Ikari-kun.

_Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_The Search Begins..._

Lelouch: Count Krory's Emporiums?

Lavi: Kroykins!

_With new allies._

Krory: You claim to be...Riders?

Lavi: Someone's unsealed the Noah, Krory...

_A Noah Attack..._

Krory: That's...Category Ace of Spades!

Lelouch & Shinji: HENSIN!

_Leads to a second encounter._

?: I told you to mind your own business!

_Suspicions arise..._

Lavi: Cross must be involved somehow...

Lelouch: Let's take this up with the BOARD.

_And old friends unite._

Cross: Bookman, Krory...It's been a while.

Lelouch: General Cross I presume.

However fate has dealt...

Cross: Turns out we missed...the OTHER Joker.

_A deadly hand._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	24. D Blade Man 2

Kyugan: Another Update in honor of Sketchfan's Mama's B-day.

Lelouch: Suck-up.

Kyugan: Whoever, if it weren't for her, I ouldn't have my wingman.

Shinj: That's true...

* * *

Rider Reunion.

"There now, Shinji!" Lavi chuckled, patting the teen on the back in what, to him, must have seemed a comforting manner, though it was clear he was enjoying the younger Rider's suffering "Jerry'll give his girl's a stern talking too, and besides, it's not like they damaged anything that won't heal."

"So…much…lace…" Shinji stammered, shivering as he held himself, though he was recovering quicker than most from their first encounter with the bartender and his girls. After all, you didn't live in a house with Misato Katsuragi without developing some resistance to the pleasures of the flesh. But then, Misato never actually tried to TOUCH the teen while in her undergarments…unless she was plastered of course.

That, and Misato wasn't a muscle bound black man, never mind the fact they used the same perfume and had the same hair color.

"What are you, five?" Lelouch demanded, shaking his head in bemusement as they stood outside the establishment, the part continuing inside, brushing off the last Ikari's scowl as he turned to Lavi "So where to now?"

"Well…I'll admit that we Riders haven't kept in touch since we broke up four years ago." Lavi admitted with a solemn expression, which split into a wide grin "Fortunately, I know someone who might know where they are!"

"Then what are we waiting around here for?" Lelouch demanded, waving down a carriage, eyeing the horse drawn vehicle with a skeptical expression, before clambering in, helping Shinji in as Lavi gave the man directions."

"Stop by the nearest florist on the way!" he ordered, clambering in and shutting the door of the carriage just as the rider cracked the whip, spurring the steeds onwards "Hope you don't mind, but I need to pick up a gift."

"Who's the lucky lady?" Lelouch asked, smirking coyly even as Lavi quirked a single red eyebrow at him in surprise "You don't strike me as the type to buy men gifts."

"You really are a scary one." Lavi noted, whistling in appreciation as he sat back in his chair, Shinji trying to get comfortable as the carriage rattled onwards.

* * *

_One Carriage Rider Later..._

One quick pit stop, which left poor Shinji choking from a pollen related sneezing fit, and the group pulled up outside a large, but otherwise unimpressive looking thrift shop.

"Count Krory's Emporiums?" Lelouch read, quirking an eyebrow at the sigh above the doorway, which depicted a rather impressive looking bat motif, eerily similar of a certain Rider's crest, though only if you knew what to look for.

"Yo Crow!" Lavi called out, pushing the door open boisterously, a cheerful grin on his face as he stepped into the room "You alive in here?"

"Subtle…" Lelouch muttered, shaking his head as he slapped Shinji's back to clear out the younger Rider's lungs, before following the redhead into the shop, the interior of which was neatly organized, the tabletops covered with neatly stacked hardback books, various oddities, including several eastern scrolls and weapons on a rack.

"Lavi?" a timid sounding voice called out, the trio looking up as a tall man, not much older than them, but possessed of a nervous disposition that made him seem older than he appeared, peeked in from the back room, a duster in hand, blinking from behind his oversized white bang at Lelouch and Shinji "Oh, and you have guests?"

"This here's Count Arystar Krory." Lavi introduced, gesturing with his free hand to the man with the two-tone, black and white hair "Or as he used to be known, Kamen Rider Chalice."

"L-Lavi!" the nervous storekeeper stammered, dropping his duster as he eyed the two foreign teens in alarm "You shouldn't-!"

"Relax, Crow." Lavi assured the distraught, and reasonably so, elder man, tossing the bouquet into his arms "They're Riders too."

"We're just passing through." Lelouch assured the obviously confused gentleman, offering a polite bow "My name is Lelouch Lamperouge," he gestured to Shinji, who was staring at an oil painting that eerily resembled his mother in a kimono "my friend over there is Shinji Ikari."

"Ah!" Shinji jumped, turning to face the equally nervous shopkeeper and bowing jerkily, embarrassed at being caught staring "P-pleased to meet you."

"Likewise." Krory replied, returning the teen's bow with surprising familiarity, which clearly spoke of time abroad, possibly in the orient, before turning to Lavi, who was poking around the shop "If you're looking for Miss Lenalee, she isn't here today."

"Story of my life!" Lavi complained, falling back into a comfortable armchair with an overly dramatic sigh, his head tilted back "Why'd I agree to abandon a perfectly good party to attend this Soggy Biscuit Soiree?"

"Is he NORMALLY this…annoying?" Lelouch demanded, sending the unrepentant redhead a withering glare, to which Lavi responded with a candid smirk, even as Shinji blinked at the unfamiliar term.

"No…" Krory sighed, shaking his head at the younger Rider's antics "He can be MUCH worse." Ignoring Lavi's look of mock betrayal, the storekeeper turned to regard Lelouch with a curious stare "You claim to be…Riders?"

"We're not associated with BOARD, if that's what you're asking." Lelouch offered, holding up his Decadriver for the man to see "The Noah are technically outside our jurisdiction, which is why we figured it'd be best to come see you."

"Noah?" Krory repeated, frowning in concern as he turned to Lavi, noting the redhead's unnaturally serious expression, something that only occurred when the situation was beyond humor "What's this about, Lavi?"

"Someone's unsealed the Noah, Krory." Lavi responded, earning a look of horrified shock from the elder man "I know, that was my reaction…" he inclined his head towards Lelouch and Shinji "Until these two told me they fought of the Category 4 of Clubs."

"But…didn't you seal that one yourself?" Krory asked, looking between the redhead and the foreign pair in disbelief "And besides, if that were true, why weren't we-?"

"You know how BOARD works, Crow." Lavi countered with a sigh, shaking his head as he sat forward, his features grim "They'll use whatever steps they deem necessary to keep the Noah a secret from the world." He smirked at the elder man "Besides, considering how we basically told the directors to 'sod off' when we resigned, I doubt they'd consider reactivating us even if there were a few more running about."

"Which brings me to my next bit of information." Lelouch continued, his tone serious as he caught their attention "As I said, Shinji and I aren't familiar with Noah, Category Four was about to attack us again when three Kamen Riders showed up and sealed it."

"New Riders?" Krory breathed, looking torn between amazement, horror and affront as he stared at the younger teen "Using our systems?"

"They looked like mass produced models." Lelouch countered, shaking his head to reassure the elder man "All three of them had a Diamond crest on their helmets."

"Diamonds?" Krory repeated, his eyes catching Lavi's, the pair sharing a look, which ended as several screams sounded outside the elder man's store. "What on earth?" the count wondered, stepping forwards and sticking his head out the door as several people ran past "What in God's name is going on out here?"

"MONSTER!" a passerby screamed, his face drawn in terror "There are monsters fighting in the square!"

"That's our cue…" Lelouch muttered, nodding to Shinji as they pushed past the stunned Krory, racing up the street, even as the storekeeper and Lavi raced after them.

* * *

_Adam West Batman Transition music-!_

The scene in the square was one of total panic. People in their Sunday best, or whatever qualified really, scattering like fish as several Noah rampaged through the square, tossing people aside like ragdolls, though several of them had already been reduced to ash on the wind.

"This is horrible…" Krory breathed, the pale-faced man looking on in horror as a child stood crying in the middle of the carnage, the remains of her mother kicked up by a nearby breeze.

"That's not the worst of it…" Lavi muttered, his expression grim as he pointed to a lanky, silver figure that wore a clown's motley and a silver crown.

"That's…Category Ace of Spades!" Krory stammered, his eyes widening in alarm as he watched the silver NOAH string people up using belts attached to it's body "What's it doing here?"

"Asking to be sealed." Lelouch replied, scowling as he slapped on the Decadriver and slotting in a card, even as Shinji summoned his belt "HENSHIN!"

**"Kamen Ride: DECADE!"** the Decadriver declared, Decade and Kuuga throwing themselves into the fray as Krory and Lavi looked on in amazement, unable to do much beyond observe without their own Rider systems.

"Seriously, who the hell designed these freaks?" Kuuga demanded, the red warrior backhanding several Noah across the face, guiding stunned onlookers to safety as he did so "And I thought the Shito were ugly!"

"Imagine what they think of us!" Decade joked back, only to curse as he was forced to block an attack from the clown-like Ace, who was wielding an impressive Zweihander "Tch, for a clown you're pretty tough…" he applauded, driving the silver Noah back with a kick to the midriff as he drew another card "A monster for a monster, right?"

**"Form Ride:"** the Decadriver called out as Decade pushed the levers together **"Kiva: GARURU!"**

Quicksilver covered Decade's frame, which expanded outwards to reveal Kamen Rider Kiva, the Rider's left arm encased in blue armor, a curved scimitar with a wolf's head on the hilt held in his hand.

"Time for the clown to bow out!" D-Kiva declared, tossing the Garuru Saber into his right hand as he charged the Ace of Spades, the two clashing in a shower of sparks, D-Kiva slowly forcing the Noah back as they deadlocked, only to be driven apart by several blasts of laser fire. "What the hell?" D-Kiva demanded, looking up just in time to see three by now familiar forms engaging the Noah, "Tch, party crashers."

"You there!" the leader demanded, pointing his sword at D-Kiva's masked face, much to the larger Rider's irritation "I thought I told you to mind your own business?"

"Get that thing out of my face or I'll MAKE it my business." D-Kiva countered with a growl, fending off a sneak attack from a harlequin-like Noah with a grotesque face.

"I'd like to see you try…" the golden Rider demanded, sparks igniting between the two as they glared at one another, even as he stabbed a Noah in the stomach as it tried to sneak up on him.

"Kanda!" the spear-wielding Rider called out, sweeping several unwary Noah of their feet as he glared at the golden Rider "We don't have time for this!"

"Tch…" the golden Rider cursed, drawing a card from his belt along with his comrades, the trio sliding them through their Rouzers to a cry of **"Mighty!"**

"Curtain call huh?" D-Kiva muttered, deciding to go along with things as he drew a card from his belt, turning to face the harlequin Noah as it charged him "Fine with me!"

**"Final Attack Ride:…"** the Decadriver declared, D-Kiva slamming the levers together even as Kuuga moved into a stance, golden energy covering his foot, and the BOARD Riders absorbed holographic images of the same card into their Rouzers **"K-K-K-KIVA!"**

Attaching the Garuru Saber to his mask, as if holding it between his teeth, D-Kiva crouched low, only to leap up into the air, coming down on the stunned Harlequin Undead with a savage downward slash, even as Kuuga kicked his Noah in the chest, and the BOARD Riders ran theirs through, all five Noah going down with agonized howls, though D-Kiva noted not one of them was the Category Ace of Spades, the silver Noah in motley having apparently exited stage left.

* * *

_After the battle..._

"That did it…" the crossbow wielding Rider sighed, drawing a sealing card from her belt as she sealed her Noah, her teammates following suite, only to blink as D-Kiva and Kuuga didn't follow suit "Um…aren't you going to seal them?"

"We're not equipped for that." D-Kiva admitted, causing the red Rider looking between the two in confusion "Like I said, we're just passing through."

"Which is why I told you to keep your nose out of BOARD business." The golden Rider muttered, drawing two extra cards and flipping them at the remaining Noah, sealing them and stashing them away "If you can't even do the job right…"

"Coming from the guy that arrived 'fashionably late' for the party?" D-Kiva demanded, his tone accusingly smug as he eyed the golden Rider "What? Were you waiting for the best moment to step in?"

"Kisama…" the golden Rider growled, earning a jolt of surprise from Kuuga, as he hadn't expected to hear his own language here of all places, even as the Rider aimed his Rouzer's blade at D-Kiva's face "Who do you think you are?"

"As I said, just a passing through Kamen Rider…" D-Kiva countered, batting the other's sword aside with the Garuru Saber, holding it away from his face as he matched the other Rider's glare with his own "Though if you're having trouble remembering it, I'll be glad to jar your memory."

"That WON'T be necessary." The spear-wielding Rider insisted, stepping between the two, even as the red one fretted nervously "Kanda, back down, NOW."

"Tch…" the one addressed as Kanda muttered, his transformation deactivating, revealing a young man, not much younger than Lelouch actually, of Japanese ancestry, dressed in a strange black and red uniform, his hair done up in a long ponytail "Whatever, I'm going back to base."

"K-Kanda…" the red one stammered, stepping aside as he stormed past her, even as the green one shook his head with a sigh.

"Good grief…" he muttered, his transformation deactivating, revealing an exasperated Noise Marie, dressed in the same uniform as Kanda "Sorry about Kanda…he doesn't play well with others."

"I hadn't noticed." D-Kiva noted sarcastically, his transformation wearing off, Lelouch looking up at Marie with a snide smile "Still, I AM surprised to see you here, Mr. Marie." He turned to smiled at the startled looking female Rider "And Miss Lotto."

"M-Mr. Fortune teller?" Miranda stammered, the Red Rider's transformation wearing off as she gaped at the purple-eyed teen in surprise, even as Marie blinked in equally surprised alarm "You…you were…?"

"A Rider?" Lelouch asked, spreading his arms wide before bowing to her "As you can plainly see, though as I said, not one associated with BOARD."

"Who do you work for then?" Marie asked, his tone laced with professional suspicion, though still polite as Shinji's transformation deactivated.

"You could say we're…freelancers." Lelouch offered, his tone cryptic, knowing from Marie's expression that the larger Rider was mulling this over.

"I see." The former soldier muttered, his features unreadable, before nodding and turning on his heel, looping arms with Miranda "Thanks again for the assist…but I agree with Kanda, if you're not equipped to seal Noah, you should leave them to us."

"I'll remember that next time I see them chowing down on a nice civilian buffet." Lelouch replied snidely, earning a flinch from Miranda and a grim look from Marie, before the two Riders walked off, an awestruck Krory and a grim Lavi walking up to the pair as they watched them leave.

"No doubt about it…" the redheaded author muttered, his one visible eye narrowed in suspicion as he watched the couple leave "Those belts they used were the same design as mine…they're definitely with BOARD."

"Like their telling us to stay out of 'BOARD' business didn't say that much already." Lelouch scoffed, earning a wry smirk from Lavi as he shook his head.

"Yeah, true I suppose." The redhead admitted with a chuckle, scratching the back of his head, only to sigh "Still, at least this proves your story was right."

"But…who designed those systems?" Krory asked, looking highly confused as he eyed the devastation around him "They didn't look like they were using our Category Aces…"

"I don't know Crow." Lavi offered apologetically, his tone grim "What I DO know is that Cross has to be involved somehow."

"Cross?" Lelouch asked, turning to eye the redheaded former Rider turned author with a quirked eyebrow, even as Krory's nodded in understanding, features solemn

"Cross Marian." Lavi elaborated, turning to face the purple eyed teen "He was the only one of us that was with BOARD from the beginning, he's also the only one that stayed behind when the rest of us quit."

"So we have a man on the inside." Lelouch deduced, only to frown as the local duo shot each other looks of apprehension.

"Trust me…" Lavi muttered, holding up a hand with a look of resigned disgust on his face as Krory shook his head grimly "You'll understand when, and IF, you meet him."

"Why wait?" Lelouch asked, smirking to them as he nodded to Shinji "Let's see take this up with the BOARD."

"Just so long as we're back in time for Lenalee's party." Lavi pointed out, earning a look from the foreign Riders, grinning at the look on Krory's face "Jerry's having it at the bar, I was planning on telling you both at the shop!"

"Then let's not waste time." Krory noted, inclining his head before falling into step behind Lelouch as they

* * *

Carriage...

"We're being followed." Marie muttered, the larger Rider sitting in a carriage across from Kanda, a nervous looking Miranda at his side "Another Four-Seater carriage…they're keeping their distance on purpose."

"Probably those two from earlier and their tagalongs." Kanda muttered, his arms crossed before him and his eyes closed "The ones that were hanging back the entire time."

"The ones that were Leangle and Chalice four years ago?" Miranda wondered, her eyes widening in alarm "Oh my! They're our seniors! We should've said hello!"

"They're nobody important." Kanda snapped, glaring at the timid woman before closing his eyes with a dismissive snort "Their era is over, they'll soon learn that the hard way."

* * *

_Neo-BOARD HQ... _

"Well now…" Lelouch muttered, quirking an eyebrow as he looked up at the tall building that resembled the house of parliament, only larger and with a Rose Cross over the main door "Nice place they have for themselves."

"Nicer than ours was." Lavi muttered, eyeing the pristine building with a hint of jealousy in his tone, even as Krory paid the coachman "All we had was a crumbling old castle in the middle of nowhere."

"The old BOARD headquarters you mean?" A voice called out, the group turning to find Kanda standing before them, Marie and Miranda at his back "BOARD's upgraded over the last four years, both in location…" he snorted at Lavi and Krory "And employees."

"So when are we going to meet these new-and improved employees?" Lelouch mused, meeting Kanda's glare with a smirk "And as secret bases go I give this one a five. It's too big, too noticeable, hell you can probably get to it from town on FOOT."

"Hey he's right!" Lavi noted, smirking at the purple eyed teen as he elbowed a confused Krory in the arm "At least the old base was in a forgotten ruin, the only time civilians happened on it was when they were stupid enough to go exploring in the mountains."

"You little…" Kanda began, stepping forward with a glare, only to switch the target of his ire to Marie, as the larger man stepped forwards.

"You two are Lavi Bookman and Count Arystar Krory, correct?" the former soldier asked, nodding without waiting for an answer "I apologize for any confusion you might have," he gestured towards their HQ "please, come this way, the Chief was expecting you."

"Well his manners pass muster." Lelouch noted snidely, smirking at a seething Kanda as they followed the trio into the building, walking past several paper-bearing secretaries and researchers in lab coats "Perhaps this 'chief' has some taste after all."

"If we're speaking about wine and women then I'm the best in the business." A confident voice bragged, Lelouch looking up to see a tall man with long red hair and a short goatee striding towards them, dressed in an impressive black uniform lined with red. He wore riding boots on his feet, a cross-marked Opera mask concealed half his face, and a holstered revolver hung at his hip. "Bookman, Krory," he greeted, nodding his head towards the former Riders with a small smirk "It's been a while."

"General Cross I presume." Lelouch muttered, eyeing the tall redhead with a calculating stare that he felt the one-eyed man return "Kamen Rider Garren."

"That's a name I haven't used in four years." The former Rider admitted, his tone jovial, though with an underlying impression that he wasn't going to talk further "But this is hardly the place for a conversation now is it?" he noted, "Come, my office isn't too far from here."

The group did as asked, following the redhead deeper into the facility, passing several lab coat wearing assistants before coming to a large set of double doors, which lead into a richly furnished office with several wine racks, book shelves and oil paintings of beautiful women adorning the walls.

"You have expensive tastes…" Lelouch noted, quirking his eyebrow at the man's arrogantly displayed opulence "Is this a good use of the order's money?"

"I'm entitled to do what I wish with my office." Cross shot back, smirking at the teen as he took a seat behind his desk, gesturing for the others to sit where they pleased as he poured himself a glass of wine.

"General," Krory spoke up, standing before the his former comrade's desk as the man smelled the wine before taking a long sip "What in God's name is going on here?"

"I was wondering the same thing, Count Krory." Lelouch mused, the purple-eyed teen sitting in the chair on Krory's right, holding up Lavi's book as he spoke "According to this…you sealed all the Noah four years ago, didn't you?"

"That's right…" Lavi admitted, the younger redhead glaring at the masked one in suspicion, even as Cross eyed his book with a look of disapproval, apparently the author hadn't gotten permission to publish their adventures "Together we sealed all 53 Noah that crossed out paths…and our jobs as Riders ended."

"It SHOULD have ended." Cross corrected, his tone solemn as he matched his former comrades' and the foreign Riders' suspicious looks with an impassive, almost bored one of his own, taking another sip of wine before speaking again "It turns out we missed one…the other Joker."

"The WHAT? Lavi exclaimed, his one eye widening in alarm even as Krory's face turned pale, the redhead slapping both palms against the man's desk "you mean there's two?

"But of course there are." Lelouch muttered, smirking as the local Riders, past and present turned to look at him, though Cross limited himself to quirking an eyebrow "It really isn't so hard to figure out…considering how you designate the Undead based on playing cards."

"Playing cards?" Shinji repeated, looking at the elder Rider in confusion, only to blink as Lelouch flicked his wrist, an unopened playing card box appearing in his hand from inside his sleeve.

"There are 52 cards total in your everyday deck." Lelouch explained, cracking the seal on the box and spreading the cards wide in a fan "Four suites of thirteen, each with a King, Queen, Jack and Ace." He flicked his left hand to the side, taking with it what appeared to be a single card "What most people tend to forget…" he muttered, holding up the card to reveal it as a Joker, only to fan another one out from behind it "Is that in each deck there are two 'Joker' cards, which are normally discarded."

"You're a sharp one." Cross noted approvingly, even as the other Riders, with the exception of the scowling Kanda, eyed the purple eyed teen with a look of amazement.

"It's a talent." Lelouch admitted, smirking in return as he flicked both Joker cards back onto the man's desk "So I presume this Joker is the reason the Noah are up to their old tricks?"

"You could say that." Cross admitted, tilting his glass so that the wine sloshed about inside with a frown "It happened when Komui and I were transporting the sealed Noah to a secure location…"

* * *

_Flashback…_

A horse drawn carriage moved through the rain, the driver tucked deep within his leather coat as he peered into the darkness ahead.

"Don't look so glum, Komui." Cross muttered, his mask absent as he sat across from a bespectacled oriental man in a white uniform and beret, who sat with a downcast expression on his face, a metal briefcase held across his knee "It's over, right? We beat them."

"At what cost…" Komui muttered, the beret sporting chief of BOARD looking down at the armored case that held the entirety of the Noah sealed by the Riders "It just doesn't seem fair…"

"Life isn't fair." Cross countered, his tone firm as he sat back, looking out the window with a dismissive snort "The kid knew the risks when he signed up…"

"It still doesn't make this any easier…" Komui countered, shaking his head "How will I ever look Lenalee in the eye after this-?"

The scream of the horses was followed by a loud explosion, Cross throwing himself forwards to grab Komui as the Carriage flipped over, flung through the air only to crash on it's side and skid to a halt, wheels creaking idly. "C-Cross…" Komui whispered, wincing as he crawled out of the wreckage, dragging the redhead out behind him, the briefcase tucked under his arm.

"Get…out of here!" Cross hissed, lying on his back, one hand covering the right side of his face, blood dripping from under it "GO!"

Komui didn't need to be told twice, staggering to his feet with the briefcase clutched to his chest and staggering away from the wreckage, desperate to get to civilization, only to pull up short as a figure stepped from behind the trees, it's silhouette lit up by the burning carriage.

"It can't be…!" Komui breathed, his eyes widening as he took in that all-too familiar form with a glowing gem in the centre of it's chest, only to turn on his heel and run, desperate to put as much distance between the monster and his precious cargo as he could, even as the shadow raised one talon sporting hand, as if reaching out for him.

"KOMUI!" Cross roared, his teeth clenched as he pushed himself up off the ground, only to find himself unable to do anything but watch helplessly as a bolt of dark energy erupted from the monster's fingers, slamming into the director's back with a sickening crack, sending him sprawling forward into the mud, a massive hole in his chest cavity as his beret fell to the ground.

"Dammit…" Cross cursed, looking on helplessly as the briefcase, which had been knocked flying out of Komui's grasp, snapped open, the redhead collapsing on the ground, rolling onto his back as the sealed cards fluttered down around them like snow.

He blinked, his vision blurring as his injuries got the better of him, the last thing he made out was the blurred, wavering silhouette of the Noah, for their attacker could be nothing else, as it stood over him, it's eyes lighting up menacingly just before he passed out.

"Joker…"

* * *

Kyugan: And we'll leave off there!

Hikari: Do you ENJOY killing people off?

Kyugan: Not really and only within reason. Besids, Chief KArasuma died in the movie too.

Shinji: True that.

Also, some of you are wondering how in the hell can they have Rider Tech and no motorcycles? To that I point out that in -Man they had a freaking GIANT ROBOT, yet no motorcycles or aircraft.

So yeah...Komui's that good, and that bad, al at the same time.

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_Revelations abound..._

Krory: So that's what happened to the chief...

_Leading to new confrontations._

Cross: I'll gun you down.

Lelouch: Where's Blade?

_Meeting new Friends..._

Hikari: So you're looking for someone?

Lenalee: ...he's kind, gentle…and makes you feel safe just by being there.

_And their old enemies._

Ace of Spades: **This is the key to unlocking the seal?**

Ace of Clubs: **The one Lord Joker is looking for... **

_The Rider's convene..._

Lelouch: there's a bad hand that need's sorting here...

Cross: Henshin!

_To handle the scene._

Garren Absorber: FUSION JACK!

Lavi: Oh man I've missed this!

_And so a new hand is dealt._

Lelouch: You mentioned you sealed one of the Jokers.

_In preparation for a new Battle Royale..._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	25. D Blade Man 3

Kyugan: And here's the next chappie!

Shinji: Poor Komui-san.

Lelouch: Poor Lenalee you mean, it's always harder on the survivors.

Kyugan: So true. In any case, on with the show!

* * *

Double Down.

"MOU-!" Hikari muttered, the freckle-faced teen pacing around inside the deserted fortuneteller's shop they'd mysteriously inherited with Lelouch's new role as she waited for the elder teen and Shinji to get back from wherever the hell they'd gone off to "They do this all the time!" she exclaimed, absently carrying stacks of old books into neater piles than they'd been before.

"They could at least call me to let me know they're all right!" she muttered, reaching into her skirt pocket to withdraw her cell, only to blink, a bead of sweat appearing at the back of her head as she realized that it was VERY unlikely that her cell phone would get a signal in this world, seeing as they still used rotating dials and gas lights.

'It's just one thing after another…' she wondered, slumping against a bookshelf with a defeated sigh, only to yelp as several hastily stacked volumes fell around her, bringing a cascade of dust down on her head. "That's it!" the freckled teen insisted, clenching a fist, her eyes glaring accusingly at nothing as the last of the books and dust, pigtails rising behind her in her ire "When those two get back, I'm giving each of them a piece of my mind!"

"Excuse me…" A hesitant voice called out, the freckled teen letting out a small cry as she whipped round to find a young woman of Chinese descent standing nervously in the doorway, dressed in a plain black dress and boots, her long black hair done up with ties at both sides of her head. "I'm sorry," the older teen apologized, dipping her head towards the distraught Hikari, who was praying she hadn't come off as some weirdo "the door was open and I thought I'd see if the storekeeper was in…" she looked at Hikari's disheveled appearance, a nervous smile adorning her face "Is this a bad time?"

"NO!" Hikari exclaimed, the poor girl's face so red from embarrassment that her freckles were nigh invisible beneath the glow. Internally, the class rep was cursing herself for being so caught up in her ranting she'd done so in front of a complete stranger, something she dimly recalled Asuka was prone to doing when vexed sufficiently. "I mean yes! I mean-!"

She paused, holding up a hand for silence as she took a deep breath to calm herself, letting it out slowly before smiling at the woman, the very picture of calm. "I'm sorry," she apologized with a bow "the shopkeeper is out at the moment, but if you take a seat, he should be back soon."

"N-No it's okay…" the older teen countered, holding up her hand reassuringly "I didn't really mean to come in here." She chuckled guiltily to herself, one finger stroking her cheek in embarrassment "Really, it was simply a moment of whimsy on my part…" she offered by way of explanation, only to looked off to the side, her features saddened as she gripped the strap of her bag "just a …silly idea really…"

Hikari blinked, eyeing the older teen in concern, her eyes widening slightly as she caught the familiar look in the other girl's dark eyes. It was the same ones that had been looking back at her since Touji died.

With this realization, Hikari's features set, the freckled teen nodding in understanding as she dusted herself off, patting down and smoothing out her clothes with her hands before stepping forward purposely.

"Just let me just lock up… she insisted, smiling up at the understandably confused elder teen reassuringly "I was about to step out for a while, we're new in town and I wanted to explore a bit." She smiled up at the woman "And it's better to explore with company than alone right?"

"Um…I guess so?" the Chinese woman stammered, smiling uncertainly as Hikari locked the shop up, before smiling at her "Oh! If you're new, then you should come to Jerry's! He has the best cakes in town!"

"Sounds good to me!" Hikari smiled, clasping her hands before her as she offered the older teen a polite, eastern style bow "I'm Hikari Horaki, pleased to meet you."

"I'm Lenalee Lee…" the woman replied, returning the bow with an equally pleasant smile of her own "The pleasures mine."

* * *

_New Board HQ..._

Inside Cross' office, the assembled Riders, past, present and passing through, sat in silence as the masked, red haired man finished his tale, taking a sip of wine from his glass as he did so. "So that's what happened to the Chief…" Krory muttered, his eyes downcast as Cross finished his retelling of the tale "Miss Lenalee never told us what happened afterwards…just that she was living alone…"

"I took over from him shortly after his funeral," Cross admitted, inclining his head towards his former partners "It wasn't a good idea to keep her here, where her memories would only torment her, so I had her moved so that she was close enough for you two to keep an eye on her."

"Very considerate, and resourceful of you." Lelouch mused approvingly "Since these two are longer Riders, then you technically aren't wasting BOARD'S resources." He quirked a brow "So this Joker got his hands on the sealed cards?"

"Not all of them." Cross countered, which earned a sigh of relief from Lavi and Krory, and for some reason, Miranda "Of the 53 Noah cards we sealed, about half have been released."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Lavi demanded, the redhead slapping his palms on Cross' desk once again, his features alarmed "How can we protect Lenalee if they come looking for her?"

"There was no point in telling you." Cross countered, his tone grim as he glared at the younger redhead, who backed away from the man's desk uncertainly "Of the 26 released, two were the Category Aces of Clubs and Spades." He suddenly flicked a card at Crowley, who blinked, eyes widening in surprise "Fortunately, I managed to hold onto the Ace of Hearts and my own."

"That's one small relief then…" Lelouch muttered, frowning as he steepled his fingers before his lips as he eyed Lavi "Still, with the Ace of Clubs and Spades out there, Blade and Leangle can't transform."

"Which makes them useless." Kanda pointed out, staring down at the group with a look of disdain in his eyes as Lavi glared at him "What, you want to deny it, one-eye? We don't need you here."

"Quite the contrary." Cross countered, the duo looking back to find him pouring wine into his now empty glass "In fact, I believe I gave you standing orders to contact with these two as soon as possible."

Lelouch didn't miss the unvoiced question in the man's tone, and neither, by the look of them, did Lavi, Krory, and the new Riders. "We're…sorry sir…" Miranda offered hesitantly, averting her eyes from Kanda's glare "We were…caught up with looking for the Noah…"

"Yes," Cross noted dryly, his eyes on Kanda the entire time "You've been VERY enthusiastic in your duties…THAT part of them in any case." He chuckled "Really Kanda, is it really so embarrassing to turn to your seniors for help?"

"Feh, you'd pick THESE two over us?" Kanda demanded, nodding his head towards Krory and Lavi in distaste "A reclusive shut-in that run's a dusty, hole in the wall junk shop." Lelouch quirked an eyebrow as Krory's eye twitched, the Count's features hardening darkly "And a lecherous, one-eyed has-been author that got lucky by selling CLASSIFIED information for his own benefit? The three of us are more than enough for this-!"

"Kanda…" Cross stated, the tone of his voce causing everyone to shiver as the temperature in the room dropped instantly, the redhead setting his wine glass on the desk before him "Let me make this clear for you: You work for ME. You follow MY orders, to the letter." He nodded towards the group, though his eyes never left Kanda "You will work with your teammates AND your seniors, I don't particularly CARE if you like it or not, but you WILL show Lavi and Krory all due respect." He picked up his wine glass again "Three Riders aren't enough…I know that all too well."

'He's good…' Lelouch noted, smirking to himself as Kanda stormed off, looking red in the face at being told off by the redhead, Miranda fretting in concern, only for Marie to place a hand on hers to calm her down 'Runs a tight ship, I like that.'

"In any case…" Cross muttered, eyeing Lelouch "From what Marie's reported, you and that other boy over there possess some form of Rider Systems different from our own, is that correct?" his eyes narrowed "Where did you get them?"

"Such suspicion." Lelouch noted, crossing his legs as he tapped his thumbs together in his lap, a smirk on his face "We're just a pair of passing through Kamen Riders that wanted to help out." His smirk deepened "You DID say three wasn't enough, correct?"

"I'll give you that." Cross acknowledged, scoffing at the purple eyed teen's daring before setting his wine aside "Alright, at this moment I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth…"

Suddenly his revolver was in his hand, aimed right between Lelouch's eyes, though the teen remained calm, despite the panic around them. "But if you even THINK of stabbing us in the back," Cross continued, his tone cold "no matter the reason, I'll gun you down."

"Point noted, 'Tex'." Lelouch countered, smirking to himself as Cross scoffed and backed away, the groups eyes widening as Lelouch lowered the corkscrew Cross had used to open the wine bottle earlier from where it had been aimed at the man's crotch "One question, if I may?" he asked, thumbing in the direction of Krory and Lavi "I know those two are Leangle and Chalice…and that YOU are Garren, but I've yet to see Blade."

Lavi and Krory flinched, and Lelouch swore he saw Cross' eye twitch as the man sat back in his chair, suddenly looking older. "Blade…is no longer with us." The elder redhead muttered, his eyes half-shut as he peered into his wine glass, Lelouch's further questions cut off short as an alarm went off in the building.

* * *

_With Hikari..._

"So you're looking for someone?" Hikari wondered, the freckled girl looking at Lenalee as they sat outside Jerry's bar, eating the most sinfully delicious cake she'd ever tasted.

"He's a…very close friend of mine, actually." Lenalee admitted, a sad little smile on her face as she fiddled with her own slice "He disappeared without a trace four years ago…it's so strange, I wonder if he's even ok…?"

"Your boyfriend?" Hikari asked, holding up her thumb to emphasize her point, grinning as the older girl turned red in the face and began to spout denials "Calm down, I was kidding!"

"Good!" Lenalee huffed, turning her head to the side to hide her remaining blush as she coughed into her fist "Allen and I were simply friends, that's all."

"Allen huh?" Hikari wondered, the freckled teen looking at the elder girl intriguingly with her fork tapping against her lips "What's he like?"

"He's…different." Lenalee admitted with a nervous smile and a weak laugh "It's hard to describe it really, but he's kind, gentle…and makes you feel safe just by being there."

"Sounds like one hell of a guy…" Hikari admitted, looking up at the elder teen with a small, approving smile on her freckled face "Maybe Lamperouge-san can help you find him."

"It's alright…" Lenalee assured her, waving her hands defensively before her "I don't want to bother him…just knowing he's alright is enough for me."

Hikari would have made a comment at that point if one of Jerry's girls hadn't screamed, the duo looking up to see a horde of Noah marching towards them, led by a figure wrapped in a silver cloak.

"This way girls!" Jerry shouted, gesturing for them to get inside his bar as he picked up a table and slammed it into a random Noah's face "Get inside!"

"C'mon!" Lenalee insisted, grabbing Hikari's hand and making for the door "We need to get out of here!"

"But Jerry-san!" Hikari began, only to gasp as the purple haired man was sent flying through the air, crashing into the window of his bar, courtesy of a large, hammer wielding Noah, the silver clad, one stepping forwards.

**_"That girl is the key to unlocking the seal?."_** It wondered, it's tone lilting, as if two people were talking at the same time, one laughing, one crying.

**_"Yeah…"_** the hammer wielding Noah acknowledged, the girls shivering as its eyes came to rest on them **_"The one Lord Joker's been looking for…"_**

"Run!" Lenalee cried, dragging a startled Hikari after her as they raced AWAY from the bar. It was clear that the Noah were looking for one of them, which meant if they could lead them away from Jerry's place, the man and his girls wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.

Still, it didn't change the fact they were being chased by a multitude of Noah, the Category Aces following almost serenely in their wake, as if out for a stroll. Their attitude took a complete one eighty as two strange machines rushed in, slamming the Noah against a wall, the figures riding double on them dismounting.

"What'd you call this thing again?" Marie asked, releasing his hold on Shinji as they dismounted from the Machine-Kuuga, the Last Ikari sending a jealous look towards Lelouch, who was helping Miranda off the Machine Decader.

"Motorcycles." Lelouch offered, smirking as he turned to face the Noah "A Rider's best friend, and our preferred mode of transport."

"Gotta show this to the research division." Marie noted with an intrigued air, even as Miranda tried to settle her hair "Beats a carriage any day…though I'll probably be using a side-car."

"I'm sure Miss Lotto can handle the driving." Lelouch joked, earning a flush from the perpetually nervous woman, before readying his Decadriver "But talk about that later…there's a bad hand that need's sorting here…" he readied a card even as Shinji summoned his belt and Marie and Miranda slotted a card into their buckles "Henshin!"

**"Kamen Ride: DECADE!"** the Decadriver declared, Lelouch and Shinji going through their respective transformations as Marie and Miranda snapped their buckles open with a cry of **"Open Up!" **a green and red holographic card appearing before them as they walked forwards, Lance and Larc falling into step alongside Decade and Kuuga as they met the charging hordes head on with the patented Rider greeting, otherwise known as the Boot To The Head.

"What in the…?" Lenalee began, only to blink as someone grabbed her shoulder, looking up in alarm at Lavi as the redhead held a finger to his lips, before dragging her and Hikari by the wrist back inside Jerry's, nodding to Kuuga and Decade in passing as one of Jerry's girls let them into the barricaded inn to watch the fireworks from safety.

* * *

_With the Riders..._

**"Attack Ride: BLAST!" **the Decadriver declared, Decade unleashing a salvo of dimensionally displaced bullets at the oncoming hordes, sending the lesser Noah staggering back in agony, while Kuuga, in his Blue Dragon Form, Larc and Lance took their time with the others, the local riders hurling sealing cards at the downed Noah as they fell.

"Club's on the move!" Lance declared, moving to follow the hammer wielding Noah, only to be swamped by several of the lesser categories "Dammit!"

"Shinji!" Decade called out to Kuuga, switching the Ride Booker to sword mode to fend off the attacks from the silver clad Ace of Spades "Get after it! Protect the girls!"

"On it!" Kuuga acknowledged, twirling his staff to trip up several Noah, before using it as a pole to vault over the Noah, placing himself in it's path and standing firm as it reared back to strike, only for a black and gold blur to knock it down.

"Kanda!" Lance called out, looking on as Blade's replacement stood deadlocked with the Noah, sword straining against hammer "You're LATE!"

"The carriage just got here." Glaive countered with a hint of anger in his tone, glaring at Decade and Kuuga's bikes out the corner of his eyes "What are those things?"

"If you'd shown up on time you'd know." Decade shot back smugly, the two of them kicking their respective Noah's in the chest to fend them off, before glaring at one another.

"I thought I asked you all to play nice?" a voice drawled, the Riders looking up to see Cross bearing down on them, tossing a cigarette aside as he slapped an older looking buckle with a Diamond crest around his waist "Henshin."

**"Turn Up!"** the buckle declared, the symbol flipping over as a blue card with a stag beetle crest formed, washing over the man, covering him in silver and red armor with green eyes.

"Step aside brats." Garren scoffed, interposing himself between the two, drawing two cards from his hip as the Ace of Clubs got to it's feet "Let a pro show you how it's done!"

**"Absorb Queen: Fusion Jack!"** the reader on his arm declared, a golden peacock crest forming before Garren's chest, before flowing over him, changing his armor plating so there was more gold in the design, four metal 'wings' attached to his back like a cape as he drew three more cards and his firearm.

**"Burn! Rapid! Fire-!"** the scanner built into the weapon declared, holographic images of the cards appearing over Garren, before flying into his chest plate **"Burning Shot!"**

With a roar, Garren's wings opened, lighting up golden as he flew towards the Noah, slamming into it and carrying it into the air, before firing his weapon at it's midriff, it's hideous screams cutting off as it hit the ground.

"About damn time…" Garren muttered, hurling a sealing card at the Ace as he touched down, catching it just after the ace's body exploded, before turning towards the broken window of Jerry's, where Lavi was staring up at him in wonderment "Catch!" he ordered, flicking the card at the stunned redhead, who caught it, looking up in surprise as Garren held up a familiar buckle "Put this on and get out here already!"

"You got it!" Lavi cheered, catching his buckle with a grin, slipping the category ace card inside before slapping it on "HENSHIN!"

**"Open Up!" **the Leangle Buckle declared, a purple spider card covering Lavi's frame, only to be replaced by Kamen Rider Leangle, who summoned his 'club' themed staff and threw himself into the fray, swatting Noah aside with a zeal that was frightening to look at.

"Oh man I missed this!" the Rider cheered, swatting Noah aside with his staff, pausing to point at Glaive, Lance and Larc as they passed each other "Keep your eyes on me rookies! You might learn something!"

"I'm a little busy here." Lance shot back with a hint of amusement, smacking a Noah that ha d tried coming up behind him between the legs, before sweeping it off it's feet, Larc offering an apology while Glaive ignored him altogether.

"Everyone's a critic…" Leangle muttered, looking most put out by how well the rookies were doing, it looked like Cross hadn't lost his touch for personnel selection over the last four years, letting out a yelp as the Ace of Blades attacked from behind, only for another familiar face to come to the rescue "Krorykins!"

"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO CALL ME THAT!" Chalice snarled, Krory's voice sounding deeper and more confident in Rider form than normal as he lashed out at the Noah with a strange, bow-like weapon with blades "COME AT ME YOU BASTARDS!"

The Category Ace of Blades, as if sensing that defeat was imminent, promptly leapt back, landing on the rooftops, before speeding away from the battle, leaving it's fellows behind. "Damn!" Chalice swore, the heart Rider themed Rider glaring after the last remaining Ace as it sped off to parts unknown "We almost had it!"

"We'll get it soon enough." Garren assured him, patting him reassuringly on the shoulder, even as Glaive sealed the last of the batch "For now, let's just get these back to the base."

"I agree…" Decade opined, stepping up to the Diamond Rider, reattaching the Ridebooker to his waist "We can finish where we left off."

"Pushy little brat…" Garren muttered, sounding amused as he held up a hand to still Chalice's reaction to the pink Rider's tone, before giving the order to move out, just as a police carriage appeared at the end of the street.

* * *

_As the Riders ride off..._

"Lelouch-san!" Hikari called out, only to sigh as the Rider rode off with Miranda on his bike, Shinji escorting Marie back, the two riders heading off ahead of the carriage Cross boarded with Kanda, Lavi and Krory "Dammit! They left me behind again!"

"What's going on…" Lenalee wondered, looking pale as she held her shoulders "Why are…Krory and Lavi riders again? The Noah were sealed…weren't they?"

"Lenalee-san?" Hikari wondered, looking at the elder girl in concern, even as Jerry placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head at the inquisitive look in her eye.

* * *

_New BOARD HQ..._

"Impressive work everyone." Cross applauded, the elder redhead placing the sealed cards in a special vault hidden deep within BOARD headquarters before turning to Lavi and Krory "Especially you two, good to see you haven't lost your touch."

"Like riding a bicycle!" Lavi boasted, even as Krory, timid once again, offered a shy nod as he rubbed the back of his head, earning a disgusted scowl from Kanda.

"General Cross." Lelouch called out, the purple eyed teen waiting for the elder redhead to address him before continuing "I have a question…you mentioned you sealed one of the Jokers…correct?"

"Indeed…" Cross admitted, his tone solemn "That ones kept in a separate facility, only I know where it's held."

"I still can't believe there's TWO of them!" Lavi whined, gripping the side of his head with a look of panic on his face "I mean c'mon!"

"So at the very least, the Joker wasn't interested in simply unsealing it's brethren." Lelouch muttered, recalling Cross' tale of the Noah's release "So what could it be after?"

"Follow me…" Cross instructed, the stern faced general leading them out of the card vault and down a series of hallways and staircases that led to a room guarded by two of the BIGGEST men any of them had ever seen, dressed in black, their features hidden behind executioner masks.

"They're with me." Cross muttered, the guards eyes, which shone with a bestial intelligence, narrowing as they stepped aside, allowing the party to step through the opened doorway, sticking close to Cross as the door shut behind them.

"What in the HELL is that?" Kanda muttered, quirking an eyebrow as he gazed up at the giant stone obelisk that stood in the centre of the room.

"An Ancient Stone Relief that Komui and I uncovered while researching the Noah in the Thailand Mountain Ranges." Cross explained, his tone solemn at the memory of his late friend, the previous chief "Apparently its purpose was to give the victor of the Battle Royal 'Great Power'."

"Why do I not like the sound of those words?" Lelouch asked, having caught the emphasis on the capitals as the other Riders muttered amongst themselves "So the Joker's goal would be THIS then?"

"Most likely." Cross agreed, his tone grim as he lit a cigarette, the smoke drifting almost lazily into the air "There's something else…" he added, nodding to Lavi and Krory, "Four years ago, when Komui and I brought the 53 sealed cards together…" he pulled a card out of his pocket "the Four Kings created another card."

"Wha-?" Lavi gaped, eyeing this new card with a look of alarm on his face, even as Krory stood lost for words "How's that even possible?"

"I see…" Lelouch muttered, his tone grim "It makes sense…The Battle Royal, as the name suggests, implies only one winner…"

"This means that when there was only one left, the requirements for achieving the power were obtained. But there was no Noah around to accept it." Cross agreed, nodding his head "Probably why it freed so many, it probably didn't know which of the cards it was looking for."

"Which means," Lelouch reasoned, his features firm, "if the four kings are captured again, then this Joker has all the tools he needs to access the power." He frowned, only to look up at Cross' scoff.

"You think I've been sitting on my ass sipping wine all this time?" the masked redhead demanded, holding up two cards "I already bagged two of them."

"That's the boss for you!" Lavi chuckled, grinning cheekily at the general as he held his arms behind his head, winking in Kanda's general direction "Looks like we're partners, Yu!

"Call me that again and I'll gut you like a fish." Kanda growled, holding his Henshin buckle up threateningly as he glared at the redhead "Chief, I'm telling you I don't think this is a good idea. Having these two along will only mess up the team dynamic."

"Team Dynamic?" Lelouch repeated snidely "Is THAT what they call it when you charge in at the last minute, hacking away at anything that moves and bossing everyone around?"

"Play nice Kanda." Cross warned, his tone reminding the foreign teen of their earlier argument in the Chief's office "You can relax anyways, Krory and Lavi will be working with me."

"What about those two?" Kanda demanded, inclining his head towards Shinji and Lelouch with a cold stare "They can't even seal the Noah."

"But we can get there faster than all six of you combined and can hold our own in a fight." Lelouch countered with an oh-so-sweet smirk on his face "So while you're threatening the coachmen, Shinji and I will be running damage control until you show up to seal them."

"Works for me!" Lavi reasoned, giving the purple eyed teen a hearty thumb's up "Less work for us that way!"

"Do what you want…" Kanda snorted, turning on his heel and walking off, glaring at Lelouch over his shoulder coldly "Just don't get in my way."

* * *

_As Kanda buggers off..._

"Charming as always…" Lelouch muttered, snorting disdainfully as he watched the man saunter off to wherever he went to brood "How in the hell did you recruit someone like that?"

"The same way I recruit all Rider candidates." Cross countered, his tone guarded "A process of carefully screened choices and deductions, based on skill and merit."

"He lies." Lavi countered in a stage whisper "He and Komui used to just grab any interesting guy off the street and make him a Rider if he could fight."

"What's that Lavi?" Cross asked, holding a hand up to his ear, his back to the group as he walked out of the tablet room "You're saying you want all the proceeds from your books donated to charity?"

"I'll be good…" the younger redhead whimpered, hiding behind Krory, who didn't take too kindly to being used as a meat/debt shield, though he passed it off with a long suffering sigh and a shake of his head. Apparently stuff like this happened regularly with these two.

"Excuse me…" Miranda called out, the nervous looking woman raising a hand meekly as she smiled at the group "Um, Marie and I were wondering if you'd care to join us for tea? It's getting late, and we were going to grab a bite to eat on the way home."

"We wouldn't want to intrude…" Lelouch countered politely, subtly stamping on Lavi's foot when the redhead made to cheer at the invitation "You're certain you don't mind us tagging along?"

"Not at all." Marie countered, smiling at them despite being unable to see "Think of it as a chance for us to get to know one another better…if we're going to be working together, it's best to break the ice first."

"Sounds good to me." Lelouch reasoned, the purple-eyed teen inclining his head in agreement towards the happy couple "Lead the way."

* * *

Kyugan: And we'll leave off there!

Hikari: Why do you guys keep forgetting I'm here!

Kyugan: No offense Horaki-san, but that's pretty much the role of side-characters when Kamen Riders are around.

Hikari: LAUGHING PREASSURE POINT!

Kyugan: KAWARIMI! (is replaced with Lelouch)

Lelouch: Pfffft-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!

Shinji: (sweatdropping) You're a monster.

Kyugan: I know.

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_Introductions are made..._

Lelouch: You have good friends here...

Lenalee: We've known each other for four years now.

_And memories are dug up._

Lelouch: What happened to Blade?

Lenalee: If I knew the answer to that, I'd be a lot happier...

_A surprise attack..._

Miranda: MARIE!

Marie: Jo...ker...

_Catches the Riders off guard._

Cross: Apparently THIS joker possesses shape-shifting capabilities.

Kanda: Which means everyone's a suspect.

_Suspicions rise..._

Lelouch: Looks like we'll be having a full house soon enough...

Cross: Unlikely, Blade's user is still unavailable.

_And mysteries deepen. _

Lenalee: Do you know where Allen is?

Cross: I have my suspicions.

_A new threat emerges..._

Cross: THE VAULT!

Shinji: over there, it's-!

_As allies begin to fall._

Lavi: How in the hell are they getting their intel?

Lenalee: I wish Allen was here...

_The enemy makes their move..._

Lelouch: You almost had me for a second there...

?: Pretty sharp for such a young man...

_As the final hand is played._

Lelouch: Was wondering when you'd show up...

?: Long time no see...Decade.

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	26. D Blade Man 4

Kyugan: Welp, time for an update!

Lelouch: Finally.

Kyugan: Quiet you.

* * *

Sleight of Hand.

"Are you sure you should be moving, Jerry-san?" Hikari asked, grateful for her high school English classes as she watched the purple haired man move around the bar, trays of food in one hand.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head." The muscular Indian assured the girl, smiling in that effeminate way that made him so endearing to the opposite sex as he was unnerving to his own as he set a bowl of soup down before her "Now tuck in, you must be famished after your ordeal!"

"Thank you," Hikari offered, taking a sip of the soup, he eyes widening in amazement as she beamed up at the smiling chef "Amazing! It's Miso!"

"Jerry-san's been all over the world." Lenalee admitted with a smile, the pigtailed girl nodding her head in thanks to the muscular Indian as he walked off to deliver another order "He never forgets a recipe."

"I'll take you up on that challenge…" a voice called out, the group looking up as Lelouch walked into the bar, followed by Shinji, and several other people of mixed descent, though most likely European "Yo! Miss us long?"

"BAKA!" Hikari yelled, leaping to her feet and jabbing her thumb into the Rider's neck, causing him to fall to the floor laughing in pain "You left me all alone again! What if I'd been attacked?"

"W-who'd attack you?" Lelouch managed to get out, glaring up at the girl form his spot on the floor, one hand clamped over his neck.

"Now, now!" Lavi chirped, the one-eyed redhead interposing himself between the cackling Rider and the fuming girl "She's right Lulu! How could you leave such a pretty girl on her lonesome-ow!"

"Good grief…" Lenalee sighed, pinching the redhead's ear with an exasperated sigh "Up to your old tricks already, Lavi?"

"AH! Lenalee!" Lavi cheered, the redhead rounding on the pretty Chinese girl, his one good eye morphed into heart as he pulled a bouquet out of thin air "Happy birthday!"

"Good grief…" Lenalee sighed, shaking her head with an exasperated smile as she accepted the bouquet "I'm surprised you remembered, what with your busy schedule and all."

"Of course I wouldn't forget!" Lavi insisted, grinning as he rubbed tapped the side of his head with a finger "Photographic memory! I never forget anything!"

"Except that NO means NO, apparently." Krory joked, the timid count smiling as he offered Lenalee a polite bow "It is good to see you again, Lenalee."

"Arystar." Lenalee smiled, hugging the elder of her Brother's former employees with a sad smile that earned a huff of indignation from Lavi "Have you been well? How's the shop?"

"Quiet, as always." Krory admitted with a small smile "But it gives me plenty of time to reorganize the library."

"That's good." Lenalee noted, before turning to look over the count's shoulder at the others that had come in with him "Who are they? Friends of yours?"

_"You could call us co-workers_…" Lelouch spoke up, Lenalee's eyes widening at his use of mandarin, the teen smiling as he got to his feet, offering a concerned Miranda a word of thanks "Lelouch Lamperouge," the teen offered in English "At your service, Miss Lee."

"A…Pleasure…" Lenalee replied, a little unnerved by the youth's confident air as she accepted his offered hand, before turning to Shinji, Miranda and Marie "Are you all…with BOARD?"

"Sort of." Lelouch admitted, taking a seat at the table "Shinji and I are just passing through, but we offered to help out since Cross is short on manpower."

"I see…" Lenalee noted, looking up at the group with wide eyes "So the General's getting the old gang back together?"

"Plus some new faces." Lavi admitted with a grin, plopping himself down in a chair, gesturing to Marie and Miranda, who took a seat further down "There's another guy, Yu, but he's shy so he didn't come along."

"If Kanda hears you using his first name like that he'll kill you." Marie warned, his tone light, but that just made it clear how serious the big was.

"R-Right…" Lavi muttered, wiping sweat from his brow as the memory of Kanda's stiletto glare washed over him "In any case, break out the good stuff Jerry! We gotta birthday to celebrate!"

* * *

_Later that evening, Jerry's Bar... _

"You've got some good friends there…" Lelouch noted, watching as Lavi and Krory, drunk off their asses, danced a can-can at the front of the bar along with an equally inebriated Shinji, Hikari burying her face in her palms in embarrassment for the last Ikari.

"We've all know each other since they joined BOARD over Four Years ago." Lenalee admitted with a small smile "My elder Brother was Chief at the time, he scouted Lavi and Krory to become Chalice and Leangle personally."

"With Cross already serving as Garren, right?" Lelouch noted, sipping carefully at his glass of wine as he watched Shinji make an ass of himself, Lavi having spiked the younger's Rider's drink "I've been wondering, why are their rider Systems so different?"

"Oh, that?" Lenalee wondered, looking up in surprise as she held up a finger "You see, the Blade and Garren systems were prototypes, though they were generally good for fieldwork. They were made by the Science Division after careful study of sealed Noah cards." She gestured to Lavi "The Leangle system was my brother's assistant's design, a more compact version that produced the same results."

"And capable of being mass-produced by the looks of it." Lelouch noted offhandedly, nodding towards Miranda and Marie "And Chalice?"

"Krory's system is…unique." Lenalee admitted, shrugging offhandedly "It was among his Grandfather's collection; apparently it provided the basis for the others."

"So it's technically the original then." Lelouch mused, taking a sip of his wine as he watched the normally shy count prance about with a grinning Lavi and drunken Shinji, scoffing at their antics as he set his wine aside "Miss Li," he began, turning to look the young Chinese woman in the eye "There's something I need to speak to you about…concerning Blade."

Lenalee flinched, but managed to hide it well by setting her own glass on the table with a small smile, "Yes?"

"IT'S been bothering me since we met with the others." Lelouch admitted, his sharp eyes catching her trembling hands but choosing to avoid mentioning it for the time being "You see, Cross has been looking for Lavi and Krory to retake their positions as Riders…but I haven't heard anything about Blade." He frowned "Not only that, but the Category Ace of Spades is still running around out there, which begs the question…where is Blade's User?"

"…If I knew the answer to that, it'd make me a lot happier." Lenalee admitted, a sad smile on her face as she looked down at her drink "Allen…Blade's user, disappeared Four Years ago, during the sealing of the Albino Joker."

"I see…" Lelouch noted, eyeing her trembling hands with a careful expression "The two of you were involved?"

"N-NO!" Lenalee exclaimed, waving her hands defensively, her face as red as a beetroot as she shook it in denial "It's just…he was the youngest member out of all of us…but he worked the hardest to keep everyone safe…" she lowered her eyes to the table "He kept getting hurt because he couldn't stand to let others do it in his place…"

"Sounds like a real champion." Marie noted, the former soldier smiling confidently as he sat on his chair, a wet-eyed Miranda hugging the man's arm "Wonder if that's why Kanda's always so on edge?"

"Tough standard to live up to, isn't it?" Lelouch admitted, his tone mocking as he smirked "Bad enough he's Blade's REPLACEMENT, but he's less popular than the original too."

"I wouldn't say he isn't popular." Marie chuckled, though it was with a guilty wince as he crossed his fingers under the table "He just takes a little getting used to."

"So does chronic diarrhea." Lelouch pointed out snidely "And even THAT smells a lot better than his attitude."

"Erm…well…" Marie choked, coughing into his fist as Miranda and Lenalee flushed at the imagery provided "I think I'll step out for a little air…"

"Good man you have there, Miss Lotto." Lelouch noted, smiling wryly as Marie shuffled off, raising his drink to toast the confused woman "If he can see the good points in someone like Kanda, he's truly a catch to hold onto."

"T-Thank you, Mr. Lamperouge." Miranda offered, using an honorific despite the fact she was older than the foreign Rider, if only by a year or two.

"Just Lelouch will do fine." Lelouch assured the German woman, his smile reassuring as he set his glass of wine on the table "We're comrades now, aren't we?"

"Y-yes…"Miranda stammered, looking down at her hands with an embarrassed flush, fiddling with her drink as she spoke "L-let's work hard together-!"

She trailed off in alarm, looking up in horror as a figure stumbled back into the bar, Lelouch spinning round just in time to see Marie collapse onto the floor, the former Rider's clothes torn and his features battered.

"Marie!" He yelled, the noise of the bar giving away to shocked silence as the Riders ran over to their comrade, Lelouch and Lavi turning the larger man over to see his battered features "What happened?"

"J…Jo…ker…" Marie coughed, the former soldier's eyes creaking open to gaze up at the ceiling as he struggled to breath "The…Black Joker…"

"Dammit!" Lelouch cursed, supporting the big man's head with his arms as he looked around the room "Back up people! Give him some room to breath!" he turned his mismatched glare on Jerry "Call a Doctor!"

"N…never mind me…" Marie countered, reaching into his bloodied jacket pocket, the group's eyes widening as he pulled out a card, the Category Ace of Spades "Get this…to Cross…"

"We will…" Lelouch promised, gripping the larger man's hand in his own with a look of determination in his eyes "Just hold on Marie!"

"Miranda…" Marie coughed, the former soldier's now empty hand grasping at the air "Where…are you? Miranda…"

"I'm here…" Miranda choked, grabbing the big man's hand in both of her own as Lelouch moved back to give her room "I'm right here, Marie! I'm here…"

"Miranda…" the big man coughed, his hand jerking in her direction, the woman's eyes blinking in confusion as he it moved to cup her cheek "It is you…"

"Marie?" Miranda stammered, looking down at her betrothed in alarm as she held his hand to her cheek "What's the matter? Why aren't you looking at me…?"

"He can't…" Lelouch muttered, his own eyes wide with realization as he stared down at the larger Rider with an expression of dawning horror "He's been blinded."

The cracking of thunder and the fall of rain outside drowned Miranda's cry of grief out.

* * *

_BOARD HQ... _

It was a grim group that sat in the hallways of Cross's office that night, the room silent save for the sound of the storm outside, and Miranda's heaving sobs as she cried into Lenalee's shoulder, the younger woman patting the Rider's back comfortingly. "I glad to see you're all here…" Cross muttered, the tall redhead walking up to the group with a grim expression on his face, the ever stoic Kanda at his back.

"How's Marie?" Lelouch asked, the Passing Through Rider looking up at the masked General with a solemn expression in his mismatched eyes, as the rest of the group turned to look at the redhead.

"He'll live." The general revealed, earning a relieved sob from Miranda, even as he shook his head with a sigh "But there was nothing we can do about his eyes."

"What in the hell's going on?" Lavi demanded, the one-eyed redhead punching the wall with his fist, his teeth clenched in anger "What in the hell was a Joker doing there? And why didn't we hear it attack?"

"According to Marie, the Joker approached him in Miranda's form." Cross revealed, earning a look of shock from the female Rider "Apparently this Joker possesses shape shifting capabilities."

"Which means it can be anyone or anything." Kanda muttered, speaking to everyone, though his eyes bored accusingly into Lelouch "Which makes everyone a suspect."

"YU really shouldn't go jumping to conclusions." Lelouch countered, stressing the pony-tailed Rider's first name deliberately, matching the teen's glare with a mocking smirk "It makes YU look like an idiot."

"I will kill you…" Kanda growled, readying his Rider Buckle, only for Cross to hold up an arm, halting him in his tracks, though he continued to glare at the Passing through Rider as the general asked him to elaborate.

"It's quite simple really," Lelouch explained "Marie was with the rest of us at Jerry's bar the entire evening. The only ones who knew we were going are the very people in this room, unless you have problems with eavesdroppers."

"I don't." Cross countered, patting his holstered firearm for emphasis, earning a shiver of apprehension from the others.

"Now, when Marie left the Bar to get some fresh air," Lelouch continued "the rest of us remained inside." He gestured to his fellow male rider "Shinji, Lavi and Krory were dancing on stage, their hangovers can attest to that." He moved his hand to Lenalee, Hikari and Miranda "I was with the ladies when Marie left our table, and Lenalee and Hikari had no idea that we were coming when we arrived earlier."

He turned his mismatched eyes to the General and the seething Kanda "The only ones who not only KNEW we would be there, and who weren't accountable during Marie's assault, are you two."

"Swift deduction." Cross applauded, lighting up a cigarette as he nodded his head in approval "However, I was with the science division the entire evening, the entire division can attest to that. And Kanda was out on patrol, he only just got back now."

"And before you start accusing ME of assaulting Marie," Kanda cut in stiffly "My patrol route was on the other side of town. Even if I'd taken a carriage, it would've taken me over an hour to get there."

"Which means we're out of suspects." Lelouch deduced, the passing through Rider shaking his head with a sigh as he sat back in the waiting room chair "Not surprising really, since it can change its shape, it could've been anyone."

"Marie was just careless." Kanda muttered, shaking his head in annoyance "If he'd been taking his job seriously, he'd never have gotten himself into such a situation, never mind the fact he LOST his Henshin Card."

"Funny you should mention taking things seriously…" Lelouch opined, reaching into his waistcoat and pulling out the sealed Category Ace of Spades, tossing it to Cross "Seems he managed to hold onto THIS at least." He smirked at the look on Kanda's face "Looks like we'll be having a 'Full House' soon enough."

"Unlikely…" Cross countered, tucking the category Ace card into his uniform pocket with a grim expression "Blade's user is still unavailable."

"You mean Allen?" Lenalee asked, the young woman looking up at the redheaded General imploringly "General Cross…do you know where he is?"

"I have my suspicions." Cross muttered evasively, taking a long drag on his cancer stick, exhaling a small cloud of smoke "Nothing concrete, so I can't act on them."

"I…I see…" Lenalee murmured, looking down at the ground for a moment, before beaming up at the General brightly "At least he's alright, right?"

"As well as can be expected…" Cross murmured, turning his head to the side slightly, frowning in response to Lelouch's suspicious gaze, before turning on his heel and walking off "It's late, I've had some rooms set up for the lot of you." He nodded over his shoulder to Miranda, who was still sniffling sadly "Miranda, Lenalee will be bunking with you, alright?"

"O…Ok…" Miranda sniffed, the female Rider wiping her nose with a handkerchief, her features calmer "C…could I just…see Marie first?"

"He's resting right now." Cross muttered, though his expression was moderately less severe than normal "So long as you don't wake him up, the matron shouldn't have a problem."

"T-thank you…" Miranda offered, getting to her feet with a short bow, before smiling weakly down at Lenalee "I'll be back in a second, alright?"

"Take your time." Lenalee insisted, patting the elder woman's hands comfortingly, earning a look of thanks from Miranda as she shuffled past Cross, who offered her an understanding nod as she made her way to the infirmary.

"Well this is perfect…" Lavi muttered, falling back into his seat with an angry expression on his face "Just when things are starting to look up, this shit happens."

"Eloquent as always, huh Lavi?" Cross muttered, snorting wryly as the redhead flipped him the bird for his comment "Though this does put us in dire straights…we're one Rider short."

"All the more reason to contact this Allen you keep going on about." Lelouch insisted, looking between Cross and Lenalee pointedly "I don't know what it was that drove him off, but I think you'll agree this isn't the time to be picky."

"And I say we leave the coward where he is." Kanda shot back, his arms crossed as he glared defiantly at Lavi and Krory, who were glaring pointedly at him "What? What else could you call someone who'd turn his back and hide somewhere when he has the power to fight? He's a Disgrace."

_"LAUGHING PREASSURE POINT!" _Hikari snapped, jabbing her thumb into the side of the startled Rider's neck, the freckled girl standing over him with a furious expression on her face as he fell to the floor, cackling his head off _"How can you talk like that, Kanda-san!" _she snapped at him in their native language _"Badmouthing people in front of their friends, not just Allen-san, but poor Marie-san too? You're the real disgrace!"_

"And here I thought we'd never find a use for that horrible habit of yours." Lelouch snorted, smirking up at Hikari as she turned her miffed glare on him "As expected of the former class Representative."

"Lamperouge-san…" Hikari warned, raising her thumb threateningly as Lelouch held up his hands, the smirk on his face belying the defensive gesture, only to look up as an alarm sounded through the complex.

"The Vault!" Cross swore, recognizing the tone all to well, gripping his Firearm in hand as he led the way down the halls, the Riders hot on his heels "Lenalee! Stay with the kid in my office!"

"But General-!" Lenalee exclaimed, only for Lavi to shut the door in her face, locking it from the outside, the Chinese girl pounding on it in frustration "What's going on?"

"They did it again!" Hikari sighed, scowling at the door with an angry expression on her freckled face "Honestly! They always leave me hanging!"

* * *

_Board vault..._

"This doesn't look good…" Lavi muttered, grimacing as he stared at the dead guards lying on either side of the card vault "How'd they get this far in without tripping the alarms?"

"Shape shifter, remember?" Lelouch pointed out, the passing-through Rider crouching down to close the dead guard's eyes, their features locked in masks of surprise, showing they hadn't had a chance to use their weapons when they were killed "Most likely it took the form of General Cross, or one of the other Riders."

"Possible, but unlikely." Cross countered, a frown on his face "The Guards have been trained to recognize all BOARD employees, but other than myself, no other Riders are permitted in this area." He glared at the jagged opening before them "Not only that, but whoever did this FORCED his way into the vault, he wouldn't have had to if he'd used my form, they would've opened it for him."

"Hey!" Shinji exclaimed, peering into the darkened chamber with a look of surprise, pointing to a pair of women's boots hidden behind a corner "There's someone in here?"

"Stand back." Cross muttered, the general stepping forwards with a scowl on his face, his revolver held at the ready, only to pull up short as his eyed the prone figure "MIRANDA?"

It was indeed the female Rider, her features battered and bruised, as if she'd been manhandled roughly, lying with her back against the nearby wall, like a rag-doll that had been cruelly tossed aside, her broken Rider Buckle at her side.

"Miranda!" Cross repeated, holstering his weapon as he knelt next to the female Rider, patting her cheek gently to try to rouse her "What happened? Did you see who did this?"

"Jo…ker…" the German woman coughed, her breath ragged as she lay against the pillar, her body trembling "Attacked…hallway…"

"Save your strength!" Lelouch insisted, the passing through Rider crouching down at the woman's side, his eyes widening slightly as he looked her over, before turning to Cross "General, she need's medical attention!"

Cross nodded, standing up with a stern expression on his features as he barked at Lavi to get some doctor's down here, the redhead running off to do so, his mouth a thin line on his face from anger, even as Miranda passed out once again, Lelouch's eyes narrowing as he clenched his fist over her own.

* * *

_Board Infirmary... _

"This is terrible…" Lenalee muttered, the young woman sitting at Miranda's bedside, holding the older woman's hands as she watched her sleep "How could this have happened?"

"I don't know…" Cross muttered, looking down at the fallen Rider, whose bed was within arms reach of Noise Marie's, with a scowl on his face "But so help me when I find the one responsible for all this…"

"The check on the vault just came in." Krory revealed, the count's normally reserved features lined with concern as he entered the room, an equally grim Lavi following behind the elder Rider "Only the three Category Kings were stolen.

"Which means that the enemy needs only one card in order to win the Battle Royale." Lelouch muttered, his features grim as he leant with his arms crossed against a nearby wall.

"Dammit!" Lavi swore, punching the wall yet again, only to recoil as the head matron, a terrifying old woman who's glare, according to his book, could strip flesh from bone, walked into the room, sighing in relief when she didn't comment on his actions "Seriously though," the redhead wondered, his features stern "How in the hell are they getting their Intel? Do we have a leak?"

"Everyone here was employed at the old headquarters." Cross countered, looking over his shoulder at the younger redhead with a stern expression "There isn't anyone among them that would turn on us."

"Which means," Lelouch spoke up "that the suspect would have to be someone with inside information on the organization, but who wasn't on the employee roster four years ago."

"Kisama…" Kanda muttered, the longhaired Rider stepping forward with a glare, his Rider Buckle held at the ready "Are you accusing ME?"

"YU really need to stop jumping to conclusions." Lelouch snorted, smirking up at the enraged Rider as he deliberately provoked him "In case you forgot, that list also includes Miranda and Marie, not to mention Shinji and myself."

"Eh?" Shinji wondered, the last Ikari pointing to himself in confusion and understandable alarm "but we were in Cross' office with everyone else when the Vault was attacked!"

"And Mr. Marie was here in the infirmary the entire time." The matron insisted, standing primly before the group with a stern expression "I know because I checked him over myself."

"Which leaves us back at square one." Lavi muttered, the redhead messing up his crimson locks with an annoyed growl "Goddamn this is frustrating!"

"I wish Allen was here…" Lenalee murmured, the young woman's features downcast as she held Miranda's hand gently "He'd know what to do."

"Excuse me, General." The matron spoke up, standing before the General with her hands clasped before her "But it's getting late, and the patients need their rest."

"Yes of course." Cross agreed, offering the older woman a polite nod, before turning on his heel, gesturing for the others to follow.

"Lenalee-san?" Hikari called out, the Riders turning back to see the young woman hadn't moved from her seat "Aren't you coming?"

"I think I'll stay here for a little longer." Lenalee insisted, wiping her eyes as she turned to smile up at the group "Keep Miranda company."

"I don't think the Matron would approve…" Krory murmured, recalling how stingy the old woman was when it came to the regulations, only for the Matron to wave a hand dismissively.

"So long as she doesn't do anything to disturb their rest, I see no harm in letting her stay." The old woman reasoned, turning a fierce glare on the Riders, who flinched collectively "YOU lot, however, are another story, the last thing I need is you getting up to your usual hi-jinks while my patients are trying to rest!"

"Indeed." Lelouch noted, shivering from the chill in the woman's glare despite himself, offering her a wry smile "And besides, I'm sure Mr. Marie would prefer to see such a charming young woman when he wakes, rather than Yu's scowling face leaning over him."

"There is that, yes." The matron noted, nodding her head in agreement as she stepped forward to pat Lenalee on the shoulder, only to shriek as a pitcher of water was hurled at her face, shattering on impact.

"LELOUCH?" Shinji yelped, the last Ikari gaping at his comrade in horror, even as the matron's shrieks filled the air, the Board Riders instantly going on guard "What the hell?"

"You almost had me for a second there." Lelouch muttered, his tone supremely confident as he stepped past the stunned Lenalee, standing over the shrieking matron as she clawed at the glass shards on her face "However, almost doesn't quite cut it, Noah."

"Noah?" Lavi repeated, blinking in confusion as the Riders tensed at the name, Cross' hand already on his firearm "What're you talking about Lulu? The Matron might be a bit of a hag sometimes, but she's as human as they come!"

"I've no doubt she is…" Lelouch agreed, standing with his back to the Riders as he glared down at the shrieking woman "or WAS anyway. I'm afraid we might have to chalk her up as a casualty in all this."

"What're you talking about?" Krory wondered, the Count looking at the passing through Rider in confusion, which steadily gave way to horror "You don't mean?"

"I'm saying…" Lelouch spoke up, his eye shard as he glared down at the matron "Is that THIS matron is a fake…and quite possibly our missing Joker!"

The woman's screams halted, the group stiffening in the sudden silence, her bony hands dropping from her face as she began to chuckle. "Well, well…" she noted, her voice changing mid-way, becoming younger, more sultry, as she stood up from her crouch, her hair unraveling from it's tight bun, her skin darkening even as her features shifted "You're pretty sharp for such a young human…how did you figure it out?"

"It's a talent." Lelouch admitted, a confident smirk on his face as he watched the Noah's form shift, becoming taller, thinner, filling out in all the right places "As for what gave me my suspicions…" he held up a shred of cloth, an armband, with a red cross on the fabric "Miranda was holding this in the vault, she must've grabbed it when you attacked her." He shrugged offhandedly "Though I'll admit, I didn't know if you were actually the fake until you mentioned Marie's eyes."

"His eyes?" Kanda wondered, scowling in confusion, only to widen in surprise as realization hit him "Wait…the medical report said they couldn't save his eyes-!"

"Something that the REAL Matron wouldn't have missed." Lelouch pointed out, his finger aimed at the Noah's shifting features "You had her act down pat, you must have studied her really well."

"I had a good reference." The Noah chuckled, her form finally halting, revealing a tall woman in a business suit, her long hair done up in a ponytail at the back, her long legs tucked into riding boots as she held up a copy of Lavi's book "It was quite the informative read."

"Baka-Usagi…" Kanda swore, the BOARD Riders glaring spitfire at the suddenly nervous redhead, who sweated under their combined ire, eyeing Cross's fingers as they moved closer to his holstered revolver.

"However," the Noah countered, holding a finger up to her face with a smile "I'm afraid that you've made two misassumptions…the most obvious being that I am not Lord Joker."

"Oh really?" Lelouch queried, quirking a brow as he gestured to the dark skinned, admittedly attractive Noah to continue "Then who, might I ask, do we have the pleasure of sealing away?"

"Presumptuous, aren't you?" the woman chuckled, a note of approval in her tone as she offered a polite stage bow "Category Queen of Hearts," she smirked at the Rider's looks of surprise "Lulu Bell."

"A pleasure, I'm sure…" Cross muttered, smirking to himself as he leveled his firearm at the Noah's face, his Rider Buckle in his other hand "And his second mistake?"

"He assumed she was working ALONE." A charismatic voice called out, just before a wall of air smashed into the Riders, sending them scattering across the infirmary in a tangle of Limbs, a smirking Lulu Bell standing unaffected by the onslaught.

"F-Fuck…" Lelouch cursed, the Passing-Through Rider lifting himself up with his elbows as he glared at the top-hat sporting figure standing in the doorway "Was wondering when you'd show up…"

"Yo…" the figure greeted, lighting a cigarette with his gloved hands, the light from the end revealing the handsome, albeit lazily so, features of Tykki Mikk "Long time no see…Decade."

* * *

Kyugan: And we'll leave off there!

Lelouch: You enjoy screwing me over, don't you?

Kyugan: Go no. Now if it were Euphie...

Lelouch: Watch it.

Kyugan: What? You're sister's hot, hell you even said she was the first woman you ever loved, Oedipus ain't got shit on you Lulu.

Shinji: That is kind of creepy Lulu.

Lelouch: Says the guy that wants to bone his mother's clone.

Shinji: That's only in mainstream! And in ny case, that one's a Clone of Lilith too!

Lelouch: So she's like the combination of your mother's DNA and one of Lilith's ova...doesn't that mean she's your sister or something?

Shinji: she's not my sister! MY Rei's a relative of my Mom's!

Lelouch: So she's still technically related to you.

Shinji: Better than being my SISTER you freak!

Lelouch: HALF-Sister you damn Mama's boy!

Shinji: Sis-con!

Lelouch: Oedipus Complex!

Kyugan: *Humming 'My cock's bigger than your cock' from Nostalgia Critic*

Hikari: *Sighs* Men, can't live with 'em, can't live without...wait...

Kyugan: *Points Desert Eagle at her head* Don't you DARE go all 'Y the last man' on me.

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_The Final hand is played..._

Lelouch: Wondered when you'd show up...

Tykki: You seem to be in the middle of things...as usual.

As the Noah make their move.

Hikari: Lenalee-san!

Tykki: Sorry, but this girl's an important part of the plan.

_The Riders Converge..._

Cross: Komui built this to keep track of his sister...

Lavi: Creepy Sis complex...

_As the Game master steps forth._

Joker: You must be the Decade Tykki spoke so highly of.

Cross: You're a mouthy bastard aren't you?

_The Final battle has begun..._

Cross: If you miss them so much, I'll bury you all in the same crypt.

Joker: The Noah are sealed...Battle Royal is Over.

_And Aces are Wild._

Lelouch: Hope you're ready for a new Hand...

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	27. D Blade Man 5

Kyugan: It's the most, magical TIME of the YEAR!

Lelouch: Crap, someone bought eggnog.

Shinji: Not me! I haven't bought that stuff after what happened last year.

Hikari: Don't look at me!

G. Nappa: Or me.

Lelouch: Then if none of US bought it...aw shit, check the expiration date!

* * *

Battle Royale.

"Long time no see…Decade." Tykki Mikk greeted, the Category King of Hearts smiling lazily down at the passing through Rider with an almost whimsical expression "You seem to be knee-deep in things, as usual."

"Was wondering when you'd show up…" Lelouch grit out, the Passing-Through Rider glaring up at the top-hat sporting Noah with a wry smirk "Should've figured the last Category King would be you."

"Whoa there," Tykki countered, holding up both hands, "I'll have you know I WAS sealed away. Zero kept his word and brought me back, but he dumped me right in the middle of the Riders…" he shook his head with a sigh "Four on one just wasn't playing fair…"

"My heart bleeds for you." Cross countered, the General whipping out his revolver and firing off a shot at the Noah's face, only for Tykki to lazily catch it between his middle and index fingers, smiling all the while "DAMN!"

"Really now," Tykki sighed, the Category King dropping the spent slug to the ground as Lulu Bell sashayed towards him, her hips rocking as she walked, Lenalee's limp form tucked under one arm "Was there REALLY any call for that?"

"Lenalee-san!" Hikari called out, the freckled girl looking towards the elder girl in alarm, even as the Riders struggled to untangle themselves from one another and get to their feet "Let her go!"

"Sorry," Tykki countered, sighing in apparent sympathy "I'd love to, really I would," he gestured to the girl with his thumb "But you see, the girl's a vital part of the plan…seeing as she's the key."

"The…Key…?" Lavi wondered, the younger redhead blinking at the Noah in dazed confusion, only to spit as Kanda elbowed him in the face, the enraged teen trying to struggle out from underneath Krory.

"You see," Tykki explained, raising a lecturing finger "when the little lady's elder brother found that stone tablet you've been hiding down below, he unwittingly broke the seal of the Noah."

"As such," Lulu Bell continued, the Category Queen smirking at the stunned group Lenalee tucked under one arm "he, and his bloodline, were forever bound to the fate of the Battle Royale."

"In other words…" Tykki concluded, blowing a smoke ring into the air in the shape of a skull, a dark smile on his face "In order for the ultimate power to be released, not only must all four Kings be brought together, but the life of one who shares the blood of the one who broke the seal must be sacrificed."

"You think we'll just sit back and let that happen?" Kanda demanded, the BOARD Rider throwing Krory and Lavi off his back with surprising strength, getting to his feet with a snarl, slapping on his buckle, which activated with a mechanical cry of **"Open Up!"**, the teen running through the golden hologram before him, Kamen Rider Glaive leaping through the air, his sword held over his head.

"So predictable…" Tykki sighed, shaking his head with a sigh, only to step back, one hand holding his cigarette to his lips as he weaved under Glaive's attacks, looking for all the world like he was dancing with the Rider "So this is Blade's replacement? Can't say I'm impressed…"

That said, the King of Hearts stepped forward, the back of his hand extending towards Glaive's solar-plexus, the sword wielding Rider choking as the Noah's blow caused him to double over, staggering back, only for Tykki's hand to drag his belt off, leaving Kanda to collapse to his knees with a glare. "Seriously…" Tykki muttered, sighing to himself as he extracted Kanda's card from inside the machine, before crushing it "What a waste of good technology…"

"Tykki." Lulu Bell called out, the Category Queen nodding her head towards the other Riders, who were getting to their feet "We need to go."

"Right…" Tykki sighed, shaking his head as he put his hand on Lulu Bell's shoulder, before giving a polite salute "Adieu, Decade."

And with that, Tykki Mikk dropped through the floor like a phantom, taking Lulu Bell and Lenalee with him.

* * *

The screen shatters, replaced with the image of several figures kneeling on a darkened stage.

**The Destroyer of worlds, Decade…**

Shadowed figures rise, revealing themselves to be Decade, Kuuga and the Board Riders.

**_What does he see as he traverses the Parallel worlds?_**

_Tatta, hitorikiri…_

Lelouch is shown, wearing a suit and shuffling cards.

_Kimi no sonzai ga,_

Shinji smiles at the Camera, also dressed in a suit, leaning against a pillar.

_Itsuka…_

Lavi winks roguishly at the camera, his tie undone,

_sekai no subete kaeru darou_

Cross leans against the wall, smoking a cigarette.

_Koko ni aru mo no wa…_

Krory, sitting on the ground with his hands clasped, looks up shyly,

_kibou? zetsubou?_

Lenalee, wearing a dress-suit, looks around in confusion, as if expecting someone,

_Round Zero hajimatteru_.

Lelouch holds up a card, spreading his fingers to reveal two Jokers. The screen changes to show Glaive, Larc and Leangle, weapons at the ready.

_Shiranai to iu tsumi to shirisugiru wana_

A horde of Noah are attacking a street, a smiling Tykki Mikk looks up at the camera, unfazed by the destruction around him.

_Ugokenaku naru mae ni ugokidasou!_

The Riders go through their respective transformation stances.

_Kaze ni mekurareta kaado_

Decade clashes with Tykki, the Noah smirking all the while.

_Uranau you ni warau._

Garren fires shots at Lulu Bell, the Female Noah dodging them agilely by shifting her shape whilst weaving her way towards the Rider.

_Mayounai hazu mo nai…_

Miranda holds a blinded Marie's head to her chest,

_soredemo ashita wo sagase!_

The blind Rider returns her embrace tightly.

_Mekurumeku unmei…_

Leangle swings his staff to sweep enemies off their feet.

_Koware sou na jidai ni,_

Chalice swipes at enemies savagely with his Rouzer.

_Kirifuda wa kimi no naka..._

Lenalee and Hikari are backed in a corner, white monsters resembling roaches advancing on them dangerously.

_togisumasareta yuuki ni shite!_

Suddenly a new form drops between them, holding a sword-like Rouzer out to ward off the Roaches, the Ace of Spades adorning his chest.

_BLADE! BRAVE!_

The Rouze cards fan out, forming a complete circle, only to scatter, revealing the Decadriver, Blade's crest shining in the center.

* * *

_BOARD HQ..._

"Blast it!" Cross swore, the redheaded General scowling as he stamped back into his office, the others following in his wake "This is a disaster…to think we let him just walk away like that!"

"We couldn't have known what they were planning." Lelouch countered, his tone grim as he stood off to the side, his arms crossed before him "We couldn't have known they were working together with Joker."

"About that…" Lavi muttered, eyeing the passing through Rider with his good eye, which was laced with suspicion "That Noah seemed to know you…"

"We've crossed paths before…" Lelouch muttered, recalling Tykki's rampage in the world of Ryuki "He was pretending to be a Rider, I found him out and he escaped because of a certain meddling Black Helmet."

"This 'Zero' which Kanda mentioned in his report, no doubt." Cross mused, his one visible eye locked onto the teen, though Lelouch was certain the other one was eyeing him from behind the opera mask "Perhaps he's a Noah as well?"

"Do the Noah possess the ability to pass through Dimensions at will?" Lelouch queried, earning a look of confusion from the local Riders "Never mind then."

"I doubt he's a Noah…" Shinji opined, the younger Rider speaking up with a hint of certainty despite the frown adorning his face "Call it a hunch, but he seems too HUMAN to be anything else."

"His instigating petty grievances and stubbornness are certainly human enough…" Lelouch muttered, snorting in derision as he shook his head, before looking up at Cross "So what now?"

"We rescue Lenalee of course!" Lavi insisted, slapping a palm on Cross' desk, only to recoil from the elder redhead's glare as he realized his mistake "We can't just leave her alone with those monsters!"

"The problem is FINDING her…" Krory muttered, the count's tone as grim as his face as he chewed on his thumbnail feverishly "Even with the five of us, how can we possibly determine her location?"

"Don't have to." Cross countered, snorting to himself as he reached under his desk, opening a hidden compartment, and pulling out a strange, bulky machine, like an oversized, outdated stopwatch "Komui, the previous director, built this in order to keep track of his sister at all times…I dunno how it works, and quite frankly I don't care to take it apart and find out…but it never failed when he needed it."

"So THAT'S how he always knew where I took her on dates!" Lavi muttered, eyeing the little silver machine with a shudder as Cross pressed the button on top, causing the green, grid-like screen to light up "Creepy Sister Complex Freak…"

"Got a signal…" Cross muttered, frowning down at the watch as he compared the reading to a large map of London "Looks like…Hyde park!"

* * *

_Hyde Park..._

"Could you put that out?" Lulu Bell asked, sitting on a bench, one knee bent, her hands gripping her ankle as Tykki Mikk sat smoking off to the side "I don't see how you can STAND those things."

"It's a habit I'm not likely to break." Tykki admitted without a hint of remorse, though he did chuckle amusedly as he obligingly put out the almost spent cigarette on a nearby bench "How's the girl?"

"Out like a light." Lulu Bell admitted, the Category Queen of Hearts inclining her head to the side where Lenalee lay, the younger woman's features bathed in moonlight "She's got good hair…"

"Like you don't?" Tykki joked, smirking at the Category Queen in amusement "I mean it's not like you can't just change your appearance to suit your mood."

"That's very true." Another voice noted, the duo turning to find a figure standing off to the side, wearing a top hat as he advanced, an umbrella held behind him "A most useful ability to be certain."

"Lord Joker." Lulu Bell greeted, the Category Queen getting off her seat and bowing to the figure, Tykki mimicking her pose, hands across their hearts, eyes closed reverently.

"Please…" the Joker muttered, waving his hand dismissively at their gestures "you know I do not like to wait on ceremony." Light flashed off a monocle as he turned to gaze solemnly down at Lenalee "So young…"

"Having second thoughts?" Tykki asked, smirking ruefully at the shadowy figure as he lit another cigarette, much to Lulu Bell's irritation "I can understand, really, who needs all that power?"

"Ah Tykki…" the figure sighed, chuckling in amusement as he stroked Lenalee's face one last time before standing up "I shall miss your sense of humor most of all…"

So saying, the figure blurred suddenly, appearing behind the Category King and Queen, his fingers punching through their hearts like a blades.

"Ow…" Tykki muttered, grimacing slightly as he looked down at the hand extending from his chest cavity with an irked expression "Can't believe I'm saying this…but I think I prefer the Rider method…"

"Duly noted." The figure snorted, his hand twisting, Tykki and Lulu Bell's backs arching as they exploded into mist, which converged on the figure's fingers, forming a pair of Sealed Category King and Queen cards.

"Strange…" the figure muttered, eyeing the cards with an almost, forlorn expression "I had thought that it would feel more…enlightening, but all I can feel right now is a sense of regret…and pity."

"We can send you to join them if you prefer." A voice called out, Lelouch stepping out from behind a tree, clapping his hands idly "Nicely done by the way…though I must admit I was looking forward to dealing with Tykki myself."

"You must be the Decade he spoke so highly of." The figure noted offhandedly, tucking the sealed cards somewhere within his duster as he turned to face the figure "I must admit, I did not expect the vaunted 'Destroyer of Worlds' to be so…young."

"That's the problem with great expectations," Lelouch scoffed, covering up the annoyed tick of his eyebrows with a smirk as he walked towards the man "They always leave you feeling disappointed."

"How very true…" the figure chuckled, "Should I assume that I have the sole pleasure of your company for the evening, or will little Cross and his tagalongs be joining us?"

"I'm here…" Cross called out, the General smoking a cancer stick as he stepped into view, his pistol aimed at the shadowy figure with a cold expression on his face, even as Krory, Lavi and Shinji crawled out of the woodwork "Hope you don't mind if we cut in."

"Not at all!" the figure chuckled, spreading his arms wide, as if in greeting, before bowing to them all from the bottom of the steps "A pleasure to meet you all gentlemen, I would applaud your success in sealing my brethren, were it not so horrifically hypocritical."

"Wordy bastard aren't you?" Cross muttered, a hint of his usual caustic humor in his voice as he leveled his pistol at the last Noah "If you miss 'em so much, I'll make certain to bury you in the same crypt."

"Very considerate of you." The figure chuckled once more, the light of the full moon shining off his face, revealing a middle-aged man with a salt-n-pepper moustache and a hint of stubble on his chin "However, I think you're forgetting something…" he held up a hand, revealing the Four Category Kings "All the Undead have been sealed…The battle Royale is OVER."

Lelouch moved, just in time to avoid an ambush by tall, white, Roach-like creatures that jittered and hissed threateningly as they swarmed out of the woodwork, the other Riders following suit as they slapped on their respective belts.

**"Kamen Ride:…"** the Decadriver announced, Lelouch slamming the handles together even as Shinji's belt began to chime, Cross, Lavi and Krory's belts calling out **'Turn Up!'**, **'Open Up!'** and **'Change!'** respectively **"DECADE!"**

"Hope you're up for a new hand." Decade announced, his transformation finishing as he pointed at the gentleman, who smiled benignly as the combat began once more.

* * *

_Riders' POV..._

**"CHOU HENSHIN!"** Kuuga called out, shifting into his Blue Dragon form, grabbing a nearby discarded broom as be swatted the monsters away from the comatose form of Lenalee "Get away from her you freaks!"

"That's the spirit Shinji!" Leangle called out, the Clubs Rider swatting enemies aside with his staff, only to yelp as a veritable swarm of them chased him back the other way "AGH! Krorykins! A little help?"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Chalice roared, lashing out with his weird, bladed bow, leaping into the air, spinning as he glowed an ominous green, slashing through the roaches, which exploded from the impact "Blast it!" he swore, glaring at the remaining monsters "Every time we knock them down, another ten take their place."

"But of course." The shadowy figure called out, standing atop the steps of the park, his tone laced with genteel politeness despite the situation carrying out below him "The Battle Royal is over, that means that the world now belongs to the victor…ME."

"Is that so?" Garren wondered, the diamond Rider blasting away with his firearm, driving back the creatures swarming him as he pulled a card out from behind his back, "in that case…I'd say it's time to play our last Ace…LAVI!"

"Eh?" Leangle wondered, the Clubs Rider looking up from fending off a group of Roaches, his eyes widening beneath his helmet at the sight of the image on the card held in the elder Rider's hands "General! You sure-?"

"Don't go getting all hesitant on me, rabbit boy." Garren scoffed, blasting Roaches left right and centre, before flicking the card towards the club Rider "You'd have brought him back regardless!"

"True that!" Leangle grinned, the Rider drawing a card from his pouch, sliding it through his staff's reader, earning a mechanized cry of 'REMOTE!', even as a purple beam of energy struck the card, the figure atop the hill scowling, all trace of bemusement vanishing from his features as the crest of the Albino Joker appeared in mid-air.

"I see…" Decade muttered, nodding his head in understanding as he watched the Roaches freeze, eyeing the crest in confusion "If the two Jokers remain, then the Battle Royal continues…" he eyed Garren with a tilt of his head "Are you sure though? One Joker seems tough enough…"

"Use poison to fight poison as they say…" Garren muttered, smirking to himself as a figure became visible through the array "And the only thing that can match a Joker…is another Joker."

Decade said nothing, merely turned to watch as the lights died down, his brow quirking as, rather than a gray-skinned, golden eyed figure, a small, slight teen with long white hair, dressed in a waistcoat, pants and long sleeved shirt, fell to his knees before them.

"Where?" the figure wondered, looking up in confusion, revealing a pair of startling blue eyes, set in an almost girlish face, though one was marred by what appeared to be a scar running down the left side of his face "Am…am I back?"

"Yo…" Garren called out, the diamond Rider turning to face the newcomer as the Roaches backed away, chittering animatedly, as if in fear or confusion at this new player "Long time no see, prodigal."

"M-Master?" the teen exclaimed, staggering to his feet to gape at the diamond Rider in alarm, and a hint of wonderment, his startled blue eyes widening as he turned his disbelieving gaze towards the others "Lavi? Krory?"

"ALLEN!" Leangle cheered, the staff wielding Rider skipping towards the white haired youth, the eyes of his helmet trailing comical tears as he enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug that turned the smaller figure's features blue "Man it's good to see you again!"

"L-Lavi!" the albino teen exclaimed, struggling in the Rider's grip, his legs kicking feebly at the air as he patted the rRder's arms desperately, as if tagging out "Can't…breath!"

"Let him down, rabbit." Chalice ordered, the Heart Rider's tone laced with dark amusement as he crossed his arms before him "Noah or not, he's no good to us if you suffocate him."

"Aw…" Leangle muttered, his helmet actually managing a pouting expression as he released the relieved teen, who staggered away from him, pulling in a relieved lungful of air.

"What's going on?" Allen demanded, the albino youth looking between the Riders in dazed, understandable confusion "Why'd you unseal me? I CAN'T be out here if the rest of the Noah are sealed!"

"Relax," Garren countered, tilting his head over his shoulder, where the shadowy cloaked gentleman could still be seen "Turns out we missed one…simple really, every stack of cards always has TWO jokers."

"Another…Joker?" Allen repeated, following the Riders' gazes to land on the shadowy figure, whose features were solemn once again "You mean…he's…?"

"Good evening…" the gentleman greeted, a hand going to his top-hat as he inclined his head in the youth's general direction "Welcome back, young Allen Walker…I must admit, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance at long last, little brother."

"You're no brother of mine!" Allen snapped, the albino teen glaring up at the Black Joker, his left fist clenched at his side as he tossed his other wide for emphasis "I want nothing to do with you monsters!"

"You call us monsters, young Allen?" the man repeated, his tone saddened, sounding almost hurt by the albino teen's words "Despite being one of the strongest of us all?"

"I never ASKED to be born a Noah…" Allen countered, gritting his teeth as he glared at the ground, fists clenched "I never had a CHOICE."

"Nobody can choose their origins, young Allen." The gentleman offered, his tone soothing as he continued to lean on his umbrella "The best we can do is make good with our lot in life…" he sighed exhaustedly "unfortunately for the Noah, that means butchering one another until only one remains."

"Hence the term, Battle Royal…" Decade reasoned, the Passing Through Rider stepping to the fore, earning a look from the respective Jokers "Good grief, and here I thought Ryuki had it bad…at least there the monsters were just that, they didn't get all philosophical on you."

"I would think that the Destroyer of Worlds wouldn't be so quick to pass judgment." The gentleman countered, causing the other riders, with the exception of Kuuga, to tense "I mean really, can you honestly say you're in any position to be pointing fingers?"

"Maybe not…" Decade countered, his eyes never leaving the Gentleman "Then again, maybe I'm the best candidate…after all, I know what it's like to have people gunning for me simply for breathing."

Allen blinked, looking up at the strange new Rider in confusion, while his friends gathered around him in concern. "This kid's got it even worse than me…" Decade continued, his tone solemn "he's been fighting a battle within himself, a battle so fierce he was willing to let himself be sealed than risk losing everything he cherished."

Decade turned his head to look at Allen, the pale haired teen blinking as he felt the understanding in the Rider's stare, despite his features being hidden. "I don't think I could've made that choice…" the Passing Through Rider admitted, his tone whimsical and self-mocking "Guess that means I got a long way to go…" he held a hand out towards Allen encouragingly "Let's take that step together."

"Lelouch-san…" Kuuga stammered, looking between his comrade and the sufficiently stunned Allen Walker in amazement, the other BOARD Riders looking on in equal surprise, having not expected such a moving speech.

"Move forward eh?" the gentleman repeated, his tone low, almost whimsical "But going forwards mean's defeating ME." He pointed out, "Do you think you can?"

"I know we can…" Decade shot back, smirking at the Noah beneath his helmet as he and the other Riders got into a ready stance "After all, only humans can defeat monsters."

"Is that so?" the man queried, lifting his eyes to reveal they glowed the same intimidating gold as his brethren, "Then by all means…SHOW ME!"

"GET DOWN!" Kuuga yelled, the last Ikari racing forwards, shoving a startled Allen into Decade, only to let out a howl of pain as the Gentleman loosed a blast of dark energy from his palm, the Joker's attack slamming into the Rider's chest plate in a shower of sparks.

* * *

_As Kuuga goes down..._

"SHINJI!" Decade cried out, the Passing Through Rider and Allen looking on in horror as the last Ikari fell backwards to the ground, his transformation cancelled, even as Leangle, Garren and Chalice whipped round to face the Joker head on.

"YOU BASTARD!" the Rider of Hearts snarled, leaping into the air alongside Leangle, the pair swinging their respective weapons down in a bid to smite their foe, Garren providing covering fire from the rear, only for the gentleman to lash upwards, his umbrella morphing into a menacing looking black Zweihander with a white, inverted cross adorning the side, blocking their attacks.

"Hmm…good strikes." He applauded, holding the pair of them off with one hand, despite his weapon's massive size "Full of anger and hatred…you'd have made FINE Noah."

"DON'T BULLSHIT ME!" Chalice roared, leaping back alongside Leangle, drawing a card from his deck and sliding it through his Rouzer. **"BIO!"** The bow declared, several animated vines extending from the Rider's weapon, latching onto the Jokers and holding him tight in their organic, thorny confines.

"GENERAL!" Chalice called out, his voice tight, as if he were speaking through his teeth due to the strain of holding the Noah in place "Hurry! While I've got him tied up!"

"You heard the man rabbit!" Garren barked, rushing past the heart rider to take up position on the other side "Let's finish this!"

"Don't need to tell me twice!" Leangle shot back, the Rider of Clubs rushing to the left, drawing cards as he went, sliding them through his Rouzer even as Garren did the same.

**"DROP! FIRE! GEMINI!"** Garren's Rouzer declared, the image of the respective cards absorbing into the Diamond crest on his chest plate **"BURNING DIVIDER!"**

**"RUSH! BLIZZARD! POISON!"** Leangle's Rouzer, the images absorbing themselves into the Club crest as he and Garren Leapt into the air **"BLIZZARD VENOM!"**

"Is it my turn yet?" the Joker demanded, looking bored of all things, despite Chalice's restraints still holding him in place for the combined attacks "Very well then…"

Chalice swore as the Joker's arm rose sharply, the Heart Rider flying through the air, unable to do anything but curse as the Noah swung him round, swatting Garren out of the air, the vines restraining the Noah burning as they came into contact with the Diamond Rider's flames.

"You're open!" Leangle yelled, coming down from on high, his staff glowing with venomous cold, only to blink as the Joker spun round before the blow could land, grabbing his Rouzer by the shaft, before swinging the startled Rider around like an oversized hammer, ramming him into his already downed comrades with savage brutality.

"LAVI!" Allen yelled, the youth looking on in concern as his friend's transformation wore off, revealing three battered men, a disgruntled Cross on the bottom "Master! Krory!"

"Damn you're noisy…" Cross swore, the elder Rider glaring at his disciple with his visible eye, even as Krory and Lavi groaned in agony "Dammit, get off me you freaks, only beautiful things can touch me!"

"How can you joke at a time like this!" Allen exclaimed, looking at the man in abject disbelief, a silent Decade looking on from behind "This isn't time for your fickleness Master! You're getting creamed!"

"God you're annoying…" Cross swore, glaring at the pale haired youth "Think I preferred it when you were a card…"

Before Allen could say another word, the General hurled something at him, the youth stumbling to catch it, only to blink in shock at the sight of a familiar buckle. "You think you can do better?" Cross shot back, smirking mockingly at the youth, even as he lit a mangled cigarette between his lips "Let's see it, idiot apprentice."

"Why rely on such garbage?" the gentleman countered, stepping over the downed Riders, putting a foot on Lavi's torso to hold them down "You're a Noah, Allen Walker…and a JOKER at that…" he held a hand out, golden eyes glinting in the darkness "There's no need to rely on a toy like that…come…unleash your TRUE power, let us settle the Battle Royal once and for all."

* * *

_Allen's POV..._

Allen flinched, looking down at the buckle in his hands with trepidation, a look of anguish adorning his features, as if torn between two life-changing decisions.

"True Power?" a voice called out, Allen looking up just as Decade's armour vanished, revealing a frowning Lelouch "Is that what you sealed away all your comrades for?" he snorted "Sounds like a pretty weak power to me."

"Call it what you like," the joker countered, his golden eyes narrowing dangerously "It is simply the law of the world, Kill or Be Killed." He snorted "Even humans can't change that."

"Good grief," Lelouch snorted "and here I thought it was just Tykki whose attitude was bad…looks like you Noah are simply a lost cause."

"So you SAY." The Joker continued, his tone low, though one could detect a note of growing anger in his tone "But what of YOU? Do you not travel the worlds, hunting down your fellow Riders?" he smirked at Allen's look of shock "How many worlds will you pass through? How many Riders will you destroy?"

"If they come at me with the intention to fight, then I'll fight them." Lelouch shot back, his tone flat, his features solemn "I never claimed to be a saint, I'm not going to try and save everyone."

"Then why?" the Black Joker demanded, narrowing his glowing golden eyes at the Passing-Through Rider suspiciously "Why interfere at all?"

"I have somewhere I have to go." Lelouch shot back, matching the Joker's stare with his own as he spoke "Who says I can't do a few good deeds along the way?" he smirked over his shoulder at Allen "I'm the one who chooses my path."

Allen blinked, his eyes widening in amazement at the elder Rider's words, only to settle into a determined scowl as they turned round to face the Joker together. "You little brat…" the Joker growled, his golden eyes flashing with perceptible malice as he noticed the resolve return to Allen's eyes "Who the Devil do you think you are?"

"I'm just a passing through Kamen Rider…" Lelouch shot back, smirking as he raised a card in the air before him "Remember that! WALKER!"

"Right!" Allen yelled, the albino Joker slapping his buckle in place, cards fanning out, forming a belt around his waist to secure it in place, moving into his opening stance alongside a frowning Lelouch "Henshin!"

**"Kamen Ride: Decade!"** the Decadriver declared, Lelouch's armour forming over him once more, even as Allen activated the Blade Buckle with a cry of **"TURN UP!"**, a holographic image of the Ace of Blades flying out, slamming into the Joker, sending him sprawling off the downed Riders.

"RAAAAGH!" Allen roared, running forwards alongside Decade, passing through the blue hologram, emerging on the other side in the form of a blue and silver rider with red eyes and the Ace of Spades on his chest plate.

Kamen Rider Blade had returned.

"Miserable Maggots!" the Joker roared, rolling to his feet with surprising ease for someone dressed as he was, his features lined with unspeakable anger as he lashed out with his sword, sending waves of energy towards the Riders "You'll pay for that!"

"Cheque's in the mail!" Decade shot back, his Ride-booker held in it's sword form as he and Blade double teamed the Noah, lashing out with their weapons, only to be forced back with one backhand swing of the Joker's blade.

"Dammit!" Blade swore, the Ace of Spades pushing himself to his feet with a snarl, glaring heatedly at the Black Noah as he advanced on them with a snarl, sword held at his side "That thing's too strong! We need to make an opening!"

Decade frowned, wondering exactly what cards he had in his arsenal that could match the Noah's weapon, only to blink as the Ridebooker opened, his hand coming up to swipe three cards out of the air, smirking as he realized what this meant. "One opening…" he called out, getting to his feet with a smirk "Coming right up!"

**"Final Form Ride:…" **the Decadriver declared, Decade pushing the levers together, causing Blade's crest to appear in the center **"B-B-B-BLADE!"**

"This is gonna tickle a bit…" the Passing Through Rider warned, stepping up behind a confused Blade, who turned to see what he was talking about, only to jerk as Decade's hands pressed against his back, fanning out, leaving a ring of giant cards, centered around the Blade crest, in their wake.

"What the Devil?" the Joker exclaimed, his advance halting as he watched Blade's body twist and turn, until the rider resembled an oversized version of the Blade Rouzer "What in the hell is that?"

"This?" Decade repeated, reaching out to grab the Blade-Blade, giving it a swing, heedless of its weight, rushing towards the Noah as the crest began to glow "This is our combined power!"

The Noah cursed, bringing his own sword up to block the weapon, only to be forced to one knee, his teeth clenching tightly as he struggled to hold the weapon off, only to stumble forwards as the weight vanished, leaving him off balance for the follow-up swing, which sent him flying.

"Last call…" Decade called out, the Passing-Through Rider holding the Blade-Blade in one hand, the other slotting yet another card into the Decadriver as he spoke "Ace's are Wild!"

**"Final Attack Ride:…"** the Decadriver declared, the Blade-Blade glowing an ominous white, even as the handles were slammed together "**B-B-B-BLADE!"**

The joker didn't even have time to blink before he was engulfed in a wall of white.

* * *

Lelouch: Wait! No! Go back! What happened next!

Hikari: So many card puns...

G. Nappa: And people say I've got a POKER face, guess they just TRUMPED it.

Hikari: I still have a Ghost Trap you know.

G. Nappa shutting up

Shinji: Kyugan-san! Put your pants back on!

Kyugan: NEVAH! VIVA LA LIBERTE! VIVA VIDA LOCA!

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_The Game is over..._

Allen: That's going to leave a mark...

Lelouch: Walk it off...

_But the War has yet begun..._

Cross: You two DID remember to seal him...didn't you?

Lelouch: I wouldn't worry too much about that...

_The heroes return..._

Hikari: Is Lenalee-san going to be alright?

Lavi: Maybe she just needs a little kiss to wake her up!

_And the Princess awakes..._

Lenalee: ALLEN!

Allen: I'm home...

_New Friends gather..._

Allen: So What'll you do now?

Lelouch: I'm supposed to be the Destroyer of Worlds...but I'm just looking for a place to belong.

While in a new world...

?: Where is the Emperor Belt? Tell me!

?: You gentlemen are members of the Human Resistance Force, correct? Allow us to...welcome you PROPERLY.

_A new Story is about to unfold._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	28. Intermission: Paradise Lost

Kyugan: Ugh, Hangovers are murder.

Lelouch: And you call yourself an irishman.

Kyugan: You try drinking a Scumble Scrumpy Suicider Cocktail and see how well YOU feel you inbred streak of-!

Shinji: Now now, no fighting guys...

Hikari: Yeah, It's Sketchfan-san's birthday! You know what that means!

Jotaro: MASSIVE ORGY-!

Little Kids: UPDATE!

Jotaro: -yupdate. That's...totally...what i meant.

Hikari: You perv.

Jotaro: I know.

* * *

Intermission: Paradise Lost.

In the shadows of the park, a caped figure stood, watching the battle between Rider and Noah, an outsider, but at the same time, one that was deeply involved with the scenario unfolding before him. "Looks like they've done it again…" the little bat noted, fluttering into view with a giggle, crooning in approval as she watched Decade unleash Blade's Final Attack Ride on the Noah "About time too…he shouldn't play with his food, it's bad manners."

"He always did have a habit of show boating." Zero muttered, the caped messenger's modulated tone low, as if he were struggling with some inner emotion, his masked gaze never leaving Decade's form, mixed feelings washing over him as the battle drew to a close.

On the one hand, it was good to see that this world's problems would soon be resolved, outsider or not, Zero couldn't abide wrongdoing, and despite making amends for his involvement in Ryuki's world by basically handing Tykki Mikk over to the Riders on a platter, he couldn't help feeling like this entire situation was partially his doing.

'No, that was foolish.' He reasoned, shaking himself minutely, his eyes narrowing beneath his helmet as he glared at Decade 'The only reason Tykki Mikk was able to pass between worlds was because of the distortion born from Decade's existence…I merely took the necessary steps to limit the damage.'

After all, there was no guarantee that, even WITH the Advent Deck, the Noah could have survived long enough to complete the Rider Battle, in which case, Zero would have dropped him into BOARD's laps without a second thought. And as much as he despised it, the Rider Battle was the way things were in Ryuki's world. With so many riders out for each other's blood, surely one of them would finish Decade in the process, right?

But no, despite the stacked odds and the steps he'd taken to turn the tide against him, Decade had weathered the storm, not only managing to gather a small group of allies to stand alongside him, but even going so far to rewrite the very history of Ryuki's world, changing the Death Match between Riders into a Legal System that, despite it's ludicrousness, DID get the job done with surprising effect.

"Why so quiet, Zero-sama?" the little bat crooned, snuggling up to Zero's helmet coyly, rubbing her snout against it teasingly "Oh, you're disappointed aren't you?" she deduced, noting the masked man's posture "Let Kivala-chan suck that anger away…"

"We're leaving…" Zero muttered, waving a hand to dissuade the magical automaton from nibbling on him, for as therapeutic as the little vampire's kiss was, it was still an unnerving to experience, even as a silvery mist appeared behind him, the masked man stepping backwards into it without another word, vanishing from view.

"Ah! Zero-sama!" Kivala cried, the little bat fluttering excitedly as the object of her interest vanished from view, leaving only a silhouette against the receding fog "Mou-! Wait for Kivala-chan!"

So saying, she hurled herself after the masked man, her Silhouette hot on his trail, even as the mist slowly faded out of view, leaving only the darkened woods in their wake.

* * *

_Off to the side... _

"Damn…" a voice muttered, the cap sporting woman from the café stepping out from behind a tree, one hand gripping the bill of her cap as she glared at the spot where Zero and his little vampiric groupie had been skulking in not ten seconds ago.

"Man, likes to make an exit…" she muttered, snorting in disdain at the false-prophet's flair for the dramatics, shaking her head at having missed such a perfect chance to get some answers out of the freak "Oh well," she sighed, shrugging her shoulders offhandedly, even as she turned her lidded gaze towards the battlefield below "Least I got to see Tiger in Action again…" her lip curled in a perverse smirk as her gaze traveled due south "he DOES pull the pink off well…"

"That being said, I think it'd be best if I moved along…" she reasoned, tugging the brim of her cap lower over her eyes, a dangerous, feline smirk adorning her features, accentuating the weird stripe that ran down her right cheek as her baby-blues flashed mischievously in the dark "Just gotta pick something up first…"

* * *

_With Decade... _

Decade panted, his breath coming in exhausted gasps as he stood up, the Blade-Blade held in one hand, his narrowed eyes, hidden behind his helmet, never leaving the smoldering flames that, presumable contained the remnants of the Black Joker.

"Looks like that did it…" he muttered, straightening up as he tossed his oversized weapon/comrade in the air, Blade letting out a startled yelp as the transformation wore off, the Rider of Spades landing awkwardly on his feet, only to fall on his ass, the holographic card washing over him once again, even as Decade's own transformation wore off.

"Ow…" Allen winced, the pale haired youth rubbing his abused backside tenderly, one eye closed in a pained grimace "That's gonna leave a mark."

"Walk it off…" Lelouch instructed, the elder teen stepping towards the downed Rider with a neutral expression on his face, his steps slow and determined.

Allen flinched, the Albino Noah and Rider of Spades looking up at the elder teen with understandable concern, wondering if he were about to suffer the same fate as his fellow Noah. It'd certainly fit, after all, it's what HE'D have done if the situation were reversed, and the BOARD committee had been quite adamant about sealing him up once the last Noah had been sealed last time.

Even so, the pale haired youth couldn't help flinching and averting his gaze from Lelouch when the elder teen reached out, only to blink when the expected blow, or worse, the draining feeling of a Rouse Card, failed to land.

"Need a hand?" Lelouch asked, his features as neutral as ever, only to split into an encouraging smile as Allen gaped up at him in confusion "C'mon," he urged, his tone light and mocking "I'm not gonna eat you, you don't look particularly appetizing either way."

"Eh?" Allen exclaimed, looking up at the elder Rider's proffered hand in confusion, and a little wonderment, having fully expected to be re-sealed once the battle was over. When several seconds passed, and Lelouch's hand still remained offered out to him, the pale teen reached out, tentatively at first, before gripping the elder Rider's hand in a tight grip, Lelouch reciprocating with a tight, warm grip of his own.

"There, that wasn't so hard was it?" he asked, an encouraging smirk adorning his features, even as a nervous, grateful smile made it's way onto Allen's own as Lelouch helped the younger teen to his feet with a grunt.

"ALLEN!" a voice yelled, the pair looking up just in time for Allen to be tackled by Lavi and Krory, the pair latching onto the youth's neck, tears streaming from their eyes like geysers.

"I WAS SO WORRIED!" Krory bawled, Lelouch backing away hurriedly, an expression of mild revulsion adorning his features at the sight of snot trailing from the older man's nostrils.

"ME TOO!" Lavi bawled, the redhead lifting his patch up with his free hand to wipe the tears out from what was apparently a fully functional eye "I THOUGHT WE'D LOST YOU AGAIN FOR SURE!"

"L-LAVI! KRORY!" Allen yelped, the teen's features lighting up in embarrassment as he struggled to remove himself from his friends' over-enthusiastic embrace "I'm alright! Really!"

"But you were a sword Allen!" Krory sniffled, the count looking highly perplexed as he patted the younger Rider over for injuries with his gloved hands "Your body must've been put through hell!"

"Hey yeah!" Lavi yelled, grabbing Allen by the shoulders and shaking him hard, his eyes wide with excitement "How'd you do that anyways? Is it some sort of secret Noah power?"

"Idiot." Cross barked, the younger Riders flinching as one at the sound of his voice, looking back to see their de-facto leader standing at the rear, a scowl adorning the part of his face that wasn't covered by his mask, and a slumbering Lenalee held in his arms, wrapped in his coat "We've got bigger things to worry about."

"Lenalee!" Allen exclaimed, the Noah-Rider's eyes widening in alarm as he shoved past Krory and Lavi, ignoring their cries of protests at the rough treatment to get to the girl "Is she…did they-?"

"Calm down!" Cross ordered, the General's tone stern, but low, as if to avoid rousing the sleeping princess held in his arms "She's just unconscious…give Tykki Mikk one thing, he knows how to treat a lady."

"Thank goodness…" Allen sighed, some of the tension going out of his shoulder as he gazed down at the slumbering young woman in relief, though she was technically older than him, marveling at how peaceful she looked in slumber, only to look up at Cross' pointed cough.

"Look, this is all well and good…" the Rider of Diamonds muttered, looking between the younger Riders, Lelouch and Allen in particular, with a decidedly pointed stare that reminded all of them he kept a loaded firearm about his person at all times "But you two DID remember to seal that fucker…didn't you?"

Allen blinked, his eyes widening in alarm even as he rounded on Lelouch, who had shuffled over to check on Shinji while they were talking. "Don't look at me." The Passing-Through Rider countered, quirking a brow at the local Riders, even as he slung Shinji's limp, groaning form over one shoulder in a traditional fireman's carry "I'm not equipped for sealing Noah…"

"And I was a sword…" Allen added lamely, looking a little uncomfortable even as he said it, his eyes flicking towards the dying flames behind them, praying against hope that their opponent was still there.

A futile hope it seemed, for as the last of the flames died and the smoke cleared, all that was left was a scorched patch of gravel and dirt. There was no sign of the Black Joker.

"Terrific…" Lavi muttered, the younger redhead gripping the sides of his head in exasperation, threatening to rip out clumps of his spiky red locks "So we've got another Joker running around out there, and we don't even know what the fucker's called?"

"Language, Rabbit." Cross warned, the General tilting his head pointedly down towards the slumbering form Lenalee, indicating there was a lady present "Though I gotta agree…" he admitted, his one visible eye grim "this is as bad as it gets."

"We need to find him!" Allen insisted, a grim Krory nodding his head empathetically beside the young Rider "Who knows what he'll do if we don't stop him!"

"Indeed." Krory agreed, the Count's features, while still nervous, were lined with a determination that spoke of burning bridges "Who knows what kind of trouble that man will cause, now that he has all four of the Sealed King Cards."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that…" Lelouch countered, the Board Riders turning to find the Passing Through Rider smirking coyly as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a Rouse Card, more accurately, the sealed Category King of Hearts.

"Tykki's card!" Lavi exclaimed, the redhead gaping at the shorter teen in disbelief, an expression that was matched by all the local riders at that moment, even the normally impassive Cross "How in the-?"

"It must've fallen out of the Joker's pocket during the fight." Lelouch reasoned, smirking mockingly as he held the card aloft, between thumb and fore-finger, for all to see "That's the problem with bringing formal wear to the battlefield…" he pointed out, tapping his own waistcoat for emphasis "no serviceable pockets."

"Amen to that…" Cross muttered, the General handing Lenalee over to a nervous Allen, who staggered back, almost dropping her before he caught his balance "Now give it here," the General ordered, holding out his hand "I'll lock it up again."

"Not happening." Lelouch countered, flipping the card so that it apparently vanished into thin air, a smirk on his face as the BOARD riders tensed "Oh don't look at me like that." He muttered, his tone mocking "Think about it, the Joker's broken into BOARD once already. And from the looks of things, he's not above using the other Noah to get what he wants either."

"Tell me about it…" Lavi agreed, a raunchy grin adorning his features as he elbowed Krory in the arm "That Lulu-Bell, what a babe eh?"

"I'd be a bit dubious about flattering a shape-shifter." Lelouch countered, quirking a brow at the redhead's perverted antics "For all we know, SHE could just as easily be a HE."

"Get to the point." Cross countered, ignoring Lavi as the younger redhead's features turned green and his cheeks swelled out "So he's broken in before, all that means is that the next time the Rabbit publishes a book, it's not getting out without a serious screening process."

"Have them check the spelling while you're at it," Lelouch added with a snort, ignoring the hurt frown directed his way by Lavi "But outright security issues aside, you've a more pressing issue to address." He eyed the General "Aside from the glaringly obvious location, how many people actually KNOW the location of BOARD headquarters? And of those, how many know the location of the Vault?"

Cross tensed, his visible eye widening ever so slightly, even as his lips formed a thin line across his features, which Lelouch noted with respect, hardly paled a shade. "Even with all her abilities, and Lavi's publishing, there was no way that Lulu-Bell could have known WHERE the head Matron had gone after the old headquarters had collapsed." Lelouch continued, his tone solemn "True, she could base her performance of Lavi's description, but actually tracking the old woman down to replace her when the call to reform came out would mean having access to the central personnel records."

"But…only Chief Komui had access to those!" Allen exclaimed, looking from Cross to Lelouch in alarm "You're not saying-!"

"He's not." Cross assured his one-time apprentice grimly "Even if he wasn't dead," he flinched slightly at Allen's expression at this bit of information "Komui would never betray us to the Noah…and especially not to one that was out to hurt Lenalee."

Lelouch noted the minute flinch that crossed the features of the BOARD Riders at this statement, hinting that the General's last statement might NOT have been entirely truthful "Is there anyone ELSE that might know both the location of the Vault and its contents?" he demanded.

"Myself for one." Cross pointed out, his tone suspicious "Though that wasn't until I was actually promoted to Chief of BOARD in Komui's passing." He frowned "The only other ones I can think of are BOARD's Board of Directors."

"What?" Lavi exclaimed, the redhead looking vindictive "You mean those miserly old codgers that kept cutting funding in order to get results?"

"The very same." Cross muttered, his tone grim "They were the ones that appointed me Chief when Komui died and half the Noah were released, they weren't too happy about it either."

"Can you really blame them?" Lelouch pointed out, readjusting Shinji's form so as to make the weight of the unconscious Rider less noticeable "Half the sealed undead unleashed once again and ANOTHER Joker on the loose? I'm surprised you weren't sacked."

"I would've been," Cross admitted with a snort "if it weren't for the fact I was the ONLY Rider left that was actually a part of BOARD, and the only one with any experience to not only run the organization, but do it WELL."

"Komui always was a little…lackadaisical when it came to running things…" Allen admitted with a guilty smile, the others sharing exasperated sighs "We lost track of the amount of times he tried to sneak out of the office whenever the paperwork piled up."

"Man never thought to delegate." Cross muttered, snorting as he spoke "All you really need is charisma, drive, a well loaded gun, and suddenly all that paperwork is someone else's problem." He snorted, "About the only ones I see are the ones that need my signature, and even for that I've got a stamp."

"As fascinating as your approach to bureaucracy is…" Lelouch opined, the purple eyed teen snorting even as Allen glared at the taller redhead "Don't you think it's about time we got the hell out of here?" he tilted his head towards the park, where the sounds of approaching barks and footsteps were getting ever closer "I don't particularly feel like explaining to the constabulary why the park's been put through a rendition of the first World War."

"Wait, WHAT war?" Lavi wondered, eyeing the passing-through-Rider in confusion, only to be brushed off as they beat feet out of sight, leaving the long arm of the law to find naught but a desecrated section of park.

* * *

_BOARD HQ... _

Hikari looked up from changing the cool cloth on Miranda's brow just in time to see Cross kick the door to the trashed hospital room in with a crash. "GENERAL!" she began, only to blink as she espied the figure held in the man's arms, eyes widening as the others stumbled in after them, a strange young man with white hair following close on the general's heels.

"Keep it down." Cross ordered, setting the slumbering form of Lenalee on a nearby bed, idly brushing dirt and plaster off the sheets as he pulled them over the girl "She's had quite the evening."

"She's not the only one…" Lelouch muttered, grunting as he dropped an unconscious Shinji into one of the beds, popping his back into place with a scowl "Good grief, what the hell has he been eating?"

"Is Lenalee-san going to be alright?" Hikari asked, the freckled girl ignoring the Passing Through Rider in favor of examining her new friend, who simply lay on the bed "The Noah didn't do anything weird to her, did they?"

"Not that we could see." Lelouch assured her, the elder teen's tone calm as he placed a hand on Hikari's shoulder to waylay the girl's fears "From the looks of things, Tykki and Lulu," he suppressed a slight twitch, as for some reason the female Noah's name felt oddly familiar "were just supposed to bring Lenalee to the Joker…apparently it doesn't count if someone ELSE killed her." He snorted "You could say that the very rules of the Battle Royal helped us out, TWICE if you include Walker's revival getting rid of those Roaches."

"About bloody time we got to bit of help if you ask me…" Lavi muttered, the faux-cyclops scowling in distaste as he recalled all the trouble the rules had caused the first time round.

"Still," Hikari murmured, looking down at the still form of Lenalee in concern "I don't think its right…her just lying there like that."

"Maybe she's in a trance?" Krory opined, the count holding his chin in thought, his normally timid eyes locked in a thoughtful expression "Drugged perhaps…"

"I know!" Lavi opined, the redhead radiating harmless lechery as he waggled his eyebrows in the direction of the bed "Maybe she just needs a little kiss to wake her up-!"

"_LAVI_-SAN!" two voices yelled, the redhead doubling over from an elbow to the gut, courtesy of Allen, slowly collapsing on the floor, cackling manically as he fought for breath, thanks to the almost simultaneous thumb to the neck courtesy of Hikari.

"Honestly, Lavi-san!" the freckled girl fumed, her hands on her hips as she stood over the cackling redhead like he was a puppy that had unwittingly done something inexcusable on her carpet "There's a time and a place for such jokes!"

"She's right." Allen agreed, the pale haired youth rubbing his elbow where it had made contact with the elder teen's stomach "Besides, if Komui caught you…" he paused, suddenly seeming much smaller as he looked to the ground "Oh…I forgot…"

Silence, save for Lavi's manic cackles, fell over the ward, the remaining BOARD Riders and Lelouch eyeing the pale haired teen in concern, only to turn as a rustling from the bed drew their attention.

"Ugh…where?" Lenalee murmured, the Chinese girl sitting up in bed with a groan, holding the side of her head with a grimace.

"Welcome back." Cross greeted, the redhead clamping a hand on Allen's shoulder as his once and future disciple tried to slip behind him, out of sight "There's someone here to see you."

"General Cross?" Lenalee wondered, blinking up at the redhead in confusion, only to pause, her eyes widening in shock as she gaped at the pale haired figure struggling to get behind the man "Allen?"

Allen froze, his attempts at seeking refuge having been thwarted by his uncaring master, before turning to face the young woman on the bed, a nervous, embarrassed smile adorning his youthful features. "Hello, Lenalee…" he greeted, one hand coming up to rub the back of his head nervously as she simply stared at him "You grew your hair back out…that's nice…"

"ALLEN!" Lenalee cried, surprising everyone as she clambered out of the bed, treading on Lavi's head, earning a yelp of pain from the redhead, before hurling herself at the pale haired teen, wrapping her arms around his neck "YOU'RE BACK!"

Allen stiffened, a look of wonderment adorning his features as he felt the pigtailed older girl embrace her shoulder trebling as she sobbed into his chest. Then his features softened, his eyes closing as he returned her embrace, patting her soothingly on the back as he held her close.

"I'm home…" he croaked, his voice breaking halfway, shaking himself whilst clearing it loudly, before repeating himself "I'm Home."

Lenalee pulled back, her eyes wet with tears, but there was a smile adorning her face as she looked the pale haired youth in the eyes, the Riders and Hikari smiling at them from the background.

"Welcome Home."

* * *

_Jerry's Bar... _

"Cheers!" several voices cried, the clanking of glasses filling the air of Jerry's bar, the whole gang having gotten together to celebrate.

"Quite the little get-together…' Lelouch opined, the passing through Rider smirking as he sipped at his beer, a nervous Allen and a smiling Lenalee sitting at his side as they watched the proceedings unfurl from one of the outer tables.

Off in one corner, Cross was surrounded by the several women of 'negotiable affection', as the General put it, the redhead having the time of his life, confident in the fact that BOARD was footing the bill.

Krory was sitting with Mari and Miranda, the Count having a quite pleasant conversation with the married couple, even going so far as to invite them to his chalet in the mountains for the honeymoon, citing that what Mari needed right now was somewhere to relax and recover from his injuries.

Lavi, of course, was doing a dance atop one of the tables, a suitably sloshed Shinji singing alongside the redhead as they made fools of themselves, whilst Hikari, who was trying to get Shinji to put his shirt back on, held off an irritated Kanda, who was fingering a katana with a dangerous expression on his face.

"Are they normally this rowdy?" Lelouch asked, quirking a brow at the pair, only for Allen to chuckle weakly and Lenalee to sigh "Answers my question…" he muttered, taking another sip of his pint, suddenly feeling as if he was going to need something stronger to get him through the night.

"Um…" Allen spoke up, Lelouch turning his head to look at the Noah-Rider, quirking a delicate brow at the teen's uneasy expression "I um…never thanked you…for earlier…"

"You're Welcome." Lelouch offered, smiling reassuringly at the teen as Allen blinked, caught off guard by the older Rider's attitude "Least I could do."

"I…see…" Allen wondered, blinking at the older Rider's attitude, only to shrug it off, smiling at the elder teen even as Lenalee got up to help Hikari keep Kanda from beheading Lavi and Shinji with his sword "So, what'll you do now? Are you staying with us?"

"Tempting, but I'm pretty sure my job in this world is done." Lelouch opined, sipping thoughtfully at his beer while Allen blinked in confusion "Shinji, Hikari and myself are traveling between worlds, helping any Riders we find along the way…" he snorted as Hikari jabbed Kanda in the neck with her thumb "Well, I am anyways, they're mainly just along for the ride."

"I…see…" Allen muttered, his tone making it clear that this answer just went right over his head, pressing on despite the confusion "So why're you traveling worlds then?"

"Dunno…" Lelouch muttered, setting his beer on the table as he spoke "There's some masked prick running around saying I'm supposed to be the Destroyer of Worlds…" he snorted, missing Allen's look of alarm "But so far, all I've done is help the local Riders with their problems…hell it's not even my business, I'm just looking for a place to be."

"I…suppose I know what that's like…" Allen muttered, looking down at his glass of milk, having refused to touch any form of alcohol "I was just a homeless drifter until General Cross found me…if it weren't for him I'd still be living hand to mouth, doing card tricks and cheating at poker to survive…"

"Home is where you hang your hat I suppose." Lelouch quoted, smirking at the pale haired teen as he held up the Decadriver briefly "Or Rider System as the case may be."

Allen blinked, only to smile, hand going to the Blade Buckle in his pocket, looking up as Lelouch held up his glass, the two of them toasting one another even as a series of whistles and Hikari's shriek heralded Shinji tossing his pants in the air.

* * *

_Later... _

"Well now…" Watanuki noted, the bespectacled man smiling knowingly as he leant against a pillar, a faint cloud of pipe smoke wafting around him as he watched the trio stumble through the gate posts, a red-faced Hikari in the lead, while Lelouch helped a drunken Shinji stagger towards the house "Had a night on the town did we?"

"Save the commentary four-eyes." Lelouch muttered, nodding his head towards Shinji, who despite all logic, had managed to find a necktie to tie around his forehead, making him resemble a typical salary man after a night out with his superiors "Sir Chugs-a-lot here needs a place to lie down…if you got a hose I can rinse him down first."

"Lamperouge-san!" Hikari exclaimed, frowning disapprovingly at the teen, though she did so from a distance, as Shinji DID smell pretty rank.

"I'll take care of it." Watanuki assured them, releasing a long suffering sigh, almost as if he recalled something fondly, as he snapped his fingers "Maru, Moro," he called out, the twins apparating around the corner like magic, "take Shinji-kun to his room, would you? And make sure we have so Eki-kyabe on standby."

"Looks like you're a dab hand at this." Lelouch muttered, quirking a brow as the twins dragged Shinji down the corridor, a concerned Hikari following at their heels.

"You could say I've had…practice…dealing with overly enthusiastic drinkers." Watanuki replied cryptically, his eyes appearing distant for a moment, only to be replaced with his usual lethargic smile "And I see you have something for me."

"Sharp as ever…" Lelouch mused, smirking to himself as he flicked his wrist, Tykki's card appearing between his fingers, the teen flipping it towards Watanuki, who caught it expertly put of the air "Stick it somewhere safe," he ordered "or hell, use it as a coaster, just don't let it out of the shop."

"Very well," Watanuki agreed, flicking his wrist, the card disappearing about his person, even as he smiled at the teen "And now, would you care for a game?"

"I think I'll pass on that one." Lelouch countered, a wry smirk adorning his features "I've had just about enough of card games."

"I can imagine." Watanuki chuckled, before gesturing to a set of chairs beneath one of the tree's in the garden, which hadn't been there a second ago, where a bouncing Mokona was waving at them "Fortunately, Mahjong does not require cards to play."

"Mahjong huh?" Lelouch muttered, quirking an eye at the black manju thing, before turning to the bespectacled store owner, who returned the look with his usual smile "Meh, I'll try anything once…"

"That's the spirit." Watanuki applauded, the two of them taking their respective seats, the three of them shuffling the tiles beneath the light of a full moon.

* * *

_In another world..._

In an underground facility, sheltered in the bowels of one of the most prestigious companies in the world, a woman in a smart business suit was making her way down a dimly lit corridor, humming a quiet tune to herself as she went.

A gloved hand lashed out, wrapping around the woman's mouth from behind, her eyes widening as several men wielding semi-automatic rifles, burst from cover, dragging her out of sight of the security cameras that lined the halls. "Don't make any noise." One of her captors ordered, the woman looking up to see that all of them were wearing what looked like white leather jackets.

"The Emperor belt…" a figure with a star shaped afro demanded, aiming his rifle at the woman alongside his fellows "Where is it? ANSWER ME!"

"The Emperor's belt…" the woman stammered, her guards stepping back to let her speak, only for her to smile, her mismatched eyes glinting with malice as bone like particles formed over her brow.

"Shit!" the leader exclaimed, shoving one of his men to the side as their would-be victim shifted, her form replaced with a strange, pale skinned monster, a bone-like mask forming over her face "FIRE!"

The guerillas did so, their weapons impacting against the monsters form, causing her to double over in alarm, only to look on in horror as she got to her feet, a low, echoing growl emanating from her throat as she glared at them.

"Well hello there…" a voice called out, the group turning round to find a pink haired, bespectacled man standing behind them, holding his elbow in an effeminate pose, whilst several suited men glared at them from behind him.

"You gentlemen are all members of the Human Liberation Troops, correct?" the man noted, smiling like a cat that's wandered into an aviary "I must admit I'm surprised, you managed to get quite far into our facility…" he smirked, snapping his fingers as the men behind him shifted into their true forms "Allow us to welcome you…PROPERLY."

* * *

Lelouch: Well...this won't end well...

Jotaro: No shit.

Hikari: Jotaro-san, language.

Jotaro: Yeah yeah...fucking dyke...

Hikari: Laughing Preassure Point-!

ZA WARUDO!

Shinji: Pffft! HAHAHAHAHA

Hikari: Wha-Ikari-kun? How? Why?

Lelouch: Damn he's good.

_____Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_A new world awaits..._

Lelouch: Smart Brain...the hell?

_With New Dangers..._

Lelouch: There's something wrong with this place...

_Monsters walk in the form of men..._

Lelouch: Don't you think they'd react to a monster attack?

Shinji: Those people are-!

_The World has changed..._

?: As of Ten Minutes ago, the Human Liberation Force attacked Smart Brain HQ!

_And not for the better..._

Hikari: These People...they aren't...

Watch out dear travelers...

?: The World has fallen into the hands of the HOLLOWS.

_For here there be MONSTERS._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	29. Bleac555

Wow, been a while since I even looked at this one.

Lelouch: I'll say, Shinji's been partying all this time

Kyugan: How bad has it gotten?

Shinji & Kaworu: Y-M-C-A! Gonna stay at the Y-M-C-A-!

Hikari: Bad.

Kyugan: How the hell did Nagisa get here?

Lelouch: Nappa brought him along on his way to the studio.

Kyugan: Oh yeah, how's that movie comming along?

Lelouch: Dunno, but he's promised us preimiere tickets.

Kyugan: Suicide guns on standby?

Hikari: (Holding up a BFG9000) Yep.

* * *

No Mans Land.

"Oh my head…" Shinji muttered, the last Ikari half stumbling, half collapsing through the gateposts of Watanuki's store, cursing as the sunlight caught his eyes, making the flaming spikes of agony searing through his brain all the more noticeable.

"Are you alright, Ikari-kun?" Hikari asked, the freckled girl eyeing her friend and traveling companion in concern as he leant against a nearby streetlamp for support.

"Never again…" Shinji vowed, a hand coming up to his mouth to keep himself from throwing up what little he'd managed to swallow at breakfast before setting out "Good God…how did Misato-san LIVE like this?"

"Practice, most likely." Lelouch opined, the elder teen looking none the worse for wear, though admittedly, he'd simply spent the night drinking sparingly whilst playing mahjong under the stars with Watanuki and Mokona, the latter of whom had consumed the lion's share of the beverages "That or her breasts kept the flow of alcohol from reaching her brain."

"Lamperouge-san…" Hikari warned, her eyes narrowing as she held up her fist, thumb extended for emphasis, the elder teen wisely shutting up and stepping out of range, hands raised placatingly, only to pause as she blinked at him in surprise "Uh…"

"Don't tell me…" Lelouch muttered, a knowing expression forming across his features as he released a sigh of aggravation "Another wardrobe change?"

Hikari nodded, Lelouch releasing yet another aggravated sigh, palming the side of his face as he felt the beginnings of a mild head-ache form behind his temple, before turning to face the nearest reflective surface, which turned out to be a store window.

He was currently decked out in an impressive business suit, complete with blue tie, cufflinks, and black polished shoes. The cufflinks, he noted, were in the shape of the strange, bird-like crest, however the breast pocket of the jacket bore a corporate logo.

"Smart Brain?" he wondered, quirking a brow at the cleverly designed use of the letter 'A', which bridged the two words together even as he frowned at the title "The hell?"

"Maybe you're some sort of computer consultant?" Hikari hazarded, looking up from patting a retching Shinji on the back soothingly "Or maybe a software designer?"

"I don't think Armani's within their price range." Lelouch shot back dryly, a wry smirk on his features as the girl flushed, her mouth opening to fire off a retort, only to be cut off as the sound of semi-automatic gunfire tore through the air, the trio whipping towards the source of the noise in alarm.

"It came from this way!" Lelouch deduced, listening for the dieing echo of the shots, turning on his heel even as his eyes widened, a sudden surge of memories rushing forth in the wake of the noise.

* * *

_Inside Lelouch's head... _

_He saw countless men, women and children gunned down without mercy by faceless men and women in armour. Giant, mechanical figures tore across the terrain, firing on one another, heedless of the destruction they caused to the cities around them._

_Worst of all, the one that caused his heart to freeze, was the memory of two shadowy figures, a woman and child, huddled in a pool of blood across a bullet-riddled staircase._

_Their features were blurred, as if he dimly recalled them, but the trembling hand of the child reaching out from under it's mother was so desperate, so fragile, that he couldn't help screaming at the top of his lungs._

* * *

_Back to reality... _

"Lamperouge-san?" Hikari called out, Lelouch's eyes snapping open, his lungs and heart jerking back into motion as he stood there, his foot, which he'd raised to proceed towards the gunfire, finally touching down "What's wrong? You went all still all of a sudden…"

'A dream?' Lelouch wondered, blinking dazedly down the alley, only to frown as he felt the cold sweat trickling down his brow, and the trembling of one of his hands 'No…a memory…but of WHAT?"

"Lelouch-san?" Shinji called out tentatively, the hung over Ikari looking up at the elder teen in concern, finally snapping Lelouch out of his daze.

"It's nothing." He assured them, mentally giving himself a shake and a stern rebuke for dozing on the job "C'mon," he ordered, gesturing towards the end of the alleyway "Let's see what the hell's going on."

Shinji and Hikari nodded, the two of them following after the elder teen, neither noticing how his clenched fists were white around the knuckles, nor did they notice the thin wall of mist in the darkness, from where a cloaked figure watched them leave, his masked gaze boring into Lelouch's back with the force of a laser.

* * *

_later... _

The Alley opened up into a busy street; the trio looking around in confusion, seeing people going about their daily lives, rather than a panicked mob, or worse, a battlefield.

"I wonder where we are now?" Hikari mused, the freckled girl looking around in confusion, trying to spot something familiar in this new world, or at the very least someone she knew, while Shinji clung desperately to the nearest streetlight, his body sending outraged complaints to his overtaxed brain regarding the ill-advised sprint he'd just put it through.

"There's something wrong with this place…" Lelouch muttered, the purple-eyed teen's tone low, eyeing the milling, unconcerned populace with a suspicious glare that he normally reserved for enemies "Something's off…I can't put my finger on it, but there's something DEFINITELY not right about all this."

"Too bright for starters…" Shinji muttered, grimacing as he shielded his eyes from the glaring sun, glaring murderously at a passing group of schoolgirls as they giggled at him teasingly "Piss off!"

"Ikari-kun!" Hikari exclaimed, refraining from using her signature form of punishment in light of the last Ikari's condition "I don't care HOW badly you are off, that's NO way to speak to a lady!"

"Really? I would've said he went easy on them." Lelouch mused, only to jerk as Hikari jabbed her thumb into his neck, sending him to the ground howling in laughter "D-Dammit Hikari!" he swore between cackles "So help me if you do that again-!"

Whatever the currently cackling teen had been about to threaten her with would never be known, his words, not to mention his laughter, trailing off as a group of gun toting men in white trench coats suddenly appeared on the scene. "The Hell?" he managed after a moment, looking on in bewilderment as the apparent terrorists fired wildly over their shoulders as they ran, his eyes narrowing as he noticed something unusual about the current situation, something out of place .

"What on earth is going on here?" Hikari exclaimed, the freckled teen ducking behind a nearby trash can for cover "What the-OH GOD IT'S EVERYWHERE!"

"Sorry…" Shinji offered offhandedly, the last Ikari not even turning to look at the distraught girl as he straightened up, all forms of suffering from misuse of the vine gone, as if it had never been there. Perhaps it was his youthful resilience, or inherent talent, it may even be his father's hither-to-now dormant 'delinquent' genes that purged the dwindling traces of alcohol from his system.

However, it was far more likely that, as a Rider, the sight of gun toting lunatics firing wildly into a crowd of civilians had an equal, if not greater sobering effect on the last Ikari than a kettle's worth of Turkish Coffee and a good night's sleep. "Hold on." Lelouch ordered, the elder teen's hand reaching out to grab one of Shinji's wrists as the younger teen moved to summon his belt.

"Lelouch-san?" Shinji exclaimed, the last Ikari looking up at the elder teen in confusion, wondering why in the world he was acting so calm, only to blink at the scowl on the elder Rider's features.

"Look around." Lelouch instructed, his grip on the younger Rider's wrist never relaxing as he continued to eye the scene from the shadows, eyes narrowed in suspicion "Don't you find anything odd about this scenario?"

Shinji blinked, wondering just what on earth the elder teen was talking about, turning back in confusion as the gunmen continued to race through the streets, apparently unheeded by the milling populace. Occasionally, one of the throng would turn their head towards them, as if noticing something out of the ordinary, only to turn back to whatever they were doing, as if the gunmen weren't worth the effort of a response, much like a passing flock of pigeons.

"Look at them…" Lelouch muttered, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, even as he released Shinji's wrist, though he remained in front of the younger Rider "Normally a group of deranged gunmen would have inspired a stampede…" he nodded towards a trio of women sitting outside a small café, apparently involved in small talk "but these people couldn't be less concerned."

Shinji blinked, the last Ikari looking around in confusion, noting with surprise that the elder Rider was bang on the money, the people didn't seem to notice the gunmen, even though bullets were flying over their heads.

"And another thing." Lelouch pointed out, his tone laced with suspicion as he pointed towards the gunmen themselves "Take a look at them. Note how they aren't taking hostages, or aiming directly at the crowd…if anything they seem to be AVOIDING them."

Shinji blinked, realizing with alarm that, once again, the elder teen had hit the nail on the head. Despite the gunmen's erroneous firing, not a single bullet was being purposely aimed at the crowd, nor were they making any attempt to get near them, which was standard operating procedure for most terrorists, as the authorities were less likely to tear gas or snipe you with hostages in the way…MOST of the time.

"It's almost as if they're running FROM something…" Lelouch muttered, earning a worried look from Hikari as she scraped breakfast off her skirt.

Now admittedly, traveling between the worlds, the Class Representative had seen many, Many, MANY things more terrifying than armed terrorists; Mirror Monsters, Legendorgas, Noah and Shinto to name but a few. Each had been just, if not more, terrifying than the last, she'd certainly needed a new set of panties on more than one occasion, and she suspected that, should she continue with Lelouch on his journey, she'd be needing a fair few more before then end.

That being said, judging by the outright panic of the trench coat sporting terrorists, it was clear that whatever was chasing them wasn't affected in the least by their weapons, and as such, Hikari didn't care to stick around to see what it looked like.

So naturally, as if reading her mind to take its cue, a lithe figure leapt into the air, flipping agilely over the fleeing men, kicking one in the face as it flipped overhead before landing in a crouch before them, one hand on the ground, the other held out the side.

Needless to say, despite the stylish arrival, which would've earned even a grudging '8' from the Germany judge, this did little favor for the girl's current pair.

"So this is the new enemy…" Lelouch muttered, the teen's mismatched eyes narrowing, more out of interest than anger as he watched the creature get to its feet alongside a dumbstruck Shinji.

The creature was female, going by her figure alone, which could best be described, if not voluptuous, then most definitely as 'curved in all the right places', at least those places that appealed to straight men and lesbians everywhere.

Once you got past that however, it was easy to see that the creature was covered from foot to neck in what appeared to be light brown fur, which clung to her body like a furry leotard. She stood on cloven hooves, had knees that bent backwards, and a pair of antlers, reminiscent of a deer, rose above a pageboy cut that framed a tomboyish face.

'Nice ass…' Lelouch noted approvingly, only to quickly shake himself, banishing such thoughts from his head, wondering where the HELL such an opinion could have come from, even as the terrified gunmen opened fire once more.

This, naturally, only served to annoy the vaguely deer like figure, who vanished, leaving only the sound of displaced air in her wake, reappearing right in front of her would-be assailants, grabbing one by the throat even as two more figures, one with cat-like limbs, a mane of brown hair beneath a Lion's head, and an Amazon worthy figure that caused Shinji's nose to bleed, who took up a gunman in each hand, and another with a serpent's tail for legs, long green hair, and a snake mask, who wrapped her tail around another guard, squeezing like an anaconda.

* * *

_ With the monsters..._

"You little pests thought you could break into Smart Brain HQ huh?" the lion woman growled, her mane of brown hair trailing down her back as she held the struggling men off the ground "Tch, can't believe you needed our help to catch these weaklings…you're slipping Apache."

"Bite me Mira Rose!" the deer woman shot back, glaring at the larger woman even as she put her own man in an arm and neck-lock "I didn't ask for your help!"

"You're both so vulgar…" the green haired woman sighed, using one of her free hands to cover her mouth, as if in disgust "Really, no wonder you're always on guard detail."

"FUCK YOU SUN-SUN!" the other two swore, their features lined with fury as they unintentionally tightened their grips on their prey, who jerked, only to slump lifelessly in their clutches, heads rolling unnaturally.

"Oh dear, you broke them…" Sun-Sun sighed, once again covering her mouth with her sleeve, though this time she seemed to be laughing, even as she tightened her grip on her own target, crushing him almost instantly "You really shouldn't play with your food so…it's unseemly."

"LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!" the other two snarled, only to curse as the surviving thugs opened fire, the Lion woman letting out a furious roar as she backhanded one across the lot, sending him flying into a nearby café table, sending the plates and cups atop it clattering to the floor.

As he sat up, desperately trying to change his magazine, the two figures sitting at the table frowned, as if in annoyance, before shifting into their true forms, a tall man with vaguely insect-like features and long claws, and a monster with a pointed beak and several spindly arms.

* * *

_With the crew... _

"No!" Shinji cried out, his face paling with horror as he reached for his belt, only to turn to Lelouch in shock when the elder teen held him back once again "What're you doing? They need our help!"

"Look around." Lelouch pointed out, his eyes never leaving their surroundings "Gunfire is one thing, but don't you think it's strange that they aren't reacting to a monster attack?"

"Now that you mention it…" Hikari wondered, the girl looking on in confusion as the people around them ignored the one-sided battle. If anything, the struggling humans might as well have been invisible.

"HELP ME!" the trapped gunman screamed, the trio looking up just in time to see him struggling in the grip of the two new monsters, only to jerk as the one with the scissor like claws stabbed one into his chest with an almost bored expression on the visible half of it's features.

He choked, his body spasming, strange white liquid exploding from every pour of his face, even as a fist-sized, circular hole seemed to melt through his torso, the same white liquid dripping out of it like corrosive acid, even as he collapsed on the ground, slowly melting away.

"THAT'S IT!" Shinji yelled, the last Ikari's temper, which he'd doubtless inherited from his father, rearing its ugly head as he summoned his belt, moving his hands into his transformation stance before Lelouch could stop him "HEN-!"

The sound of a motorcycle engine tore through the air, halting Shinji mid-transformation, the trio turning round just as a black and yellow motorcycle and sidecar pulled up nearby, the rider pulling off his helmet revealing a stern faced man, mid-twenties at least despite his grey hair, which he wore in a buzz-cut. Other than the helmet, all he wore was a purple basketball vest over cargo-pants and combat boots, one of which had a survival knife strapped to it.

"Fuck…" the man swore, narrowing his eyes at the scene before him, dark emotions roiling behind his eyes as he watched the gunmen get slaughtered. Dismounting from his machine with a curse that caused Hikari to blush, the grey haired man pulled an elaborate mobile phone from his pocket, dialing in **9-1-3** before pressing the call button, earning a mechanized cry of **"Standing By…"**

"Henshin!" the man declared, the trio looking on in amazement as he slipped the mobile into a slot on his belt even as he raced towards the battle, earning a mechanized call of **"COMPLETE!" **from the device as golden lines formed around him, a flash of light revealing a black and gold Rider with an 'X' stylized across his purple visor.

"Kaixa…" Lelouch muttered aloud, Shinji and Hikari turning to look at the elder teen in surprise, as he stared after the retreating Rider "Kamen Rider Kaixa…so this is Faiz's world."

* * *

_With Kaixa... _

Almost immediately after the words left Lelouch's mouth, the formerly aloof citizens screamed in terror, many of them scrambling over their fellows in a bid to escape, looking back over their shoulders as the Rider advanced on the battlefield like golden death.

Kaixa ignored them all, save for the occasional straggler, which he either elbowed out of the way, or ran over, in favor of running towards the nearest monster, which resembled a giant bull of sorts, pulling out a mechanical Knuckle Duster-esque device from behind his back, pressing in a quick combination of buttons on his belt phone with his free hand before snapping the lid shut.

**"EXCEED CHARGE!" **the belt declared, a golden pulse traveling along the lines across the Rider's armour, the buckle releasing a high pitched chime that increased in tempo as the weapon powered up.

By the time the monster realized it's predicament, as it had been rather absorbed with tormenting it's victim, Kaixa had already rammed the device into the monster's back, loosing a savage snarl as he pulled the trigger, sending it flying across the plaza, only to shatter into dust as it crashed into a nearby pillar.

"Asano you little faggot!" Kaixa swore, glaring down at the trembling teen who'd been grappling desperately with the monster, who looked up at him fearfully "Get your ass out of here now!"

"Mu-Mugarama-san!" the teen exclaimed, looking at his savior in wonderment, almost reverence, only to pale as he espied two other monsters racing towards them "BEHIND YOU!"

Kaixa turned, the black and golden Rider glaring as two new challengers raced forward to meet him, pulling a bladed firearm in the shape of an 'X' from behind his back and firing at them, golden arrows of energy pinning them right in the holes in their torsos, holding the pair in place, a golden mesh like aura wrapping around them.

"Too easy…" he muttered, holding his weapon behind him as a golden 'X' formed in the air, the Rider 'blurring' towards it, the X forming an arrow that lanced between the two targets, who cried in agony as their bodies erupted into flames, Kaixa appearing behind them as they exploded, leaving a Golden X in the air.

"Sugoi…" Asano exclaimed, the teen gaping at the Rider in alarm, only to yelp as another monster leapt into the fray, the teen finally getting the message and making a break for it, scrambling to his feet with a decidedly masculine shriek, only to barrel into someone, bouncing off them and sprawling back onto the ground.

* * *

_With the crew..._

"Lamperouge-san!" Hikari exclaimed, looking out from behind her cover as one of the gunmen from earlier barreled into Lelouch like a freight train "Are you alright!"

"Ask my ribs…" Lelouch snapped, wrapping his arms about his chest as he tried to breath in without aggravating the offended bones, glaring down at the human projectile, who was holding his head and cursing "Where's the fire asshat?"

"Damn!" the asshat in question swore, glaring up at the purple eyed teen through his tears, an irate expression on his face "Why don't you watch where you're going you…"he began, only to trail off, his eyes widening and his features paling as he espied the 'Smart Brain' Logo on Lelouch's jacket pocket "H-Hollow…"

_"Hello to you too…"_ Lelouch muttered in English, only to quirk a brow as the teen seemed to gape up at him in confusion "Do you understand what I just said?"

"You…you're going to kill me? Right?" the teen stammered, the hand holding the firearm trembling so hard that Lelouch doubted he'd hit anything directly in front of him.

"No." Lelouch assured him, his tone calm and, he hoped, convincing, looking behind the teen to where Kaixa was still fending off several monsters. "But sticking around here for much longer wouldn't be conducive for your continued health, or ours for that matter, Shinji."

The last Ikari nodded, grabbing the dumbstruck teen under the arm and hauling him bodily to his feet, disarming him and handing the weapon to Lelouch, who sequestered it somewhere about his person as they led the teen back into the alley, only to find the gateposts had been replaced by another exit, leading out into a busy street.

"Ditch the flack jacket." Lelouch ordered, turning to look at the teen, who simply gaped at him like a landed trout "Look, do you WANT to draw attention to yourself? Either ditch the jacket or we're leaving you here."

The teen jerked, having apparently weighed the chances of survival on his own against going against Lelouch's orders, the flak jacket dropping to the floor, leaving him dressed only in what looked like a grubby school shirt and trousers. "Here." Lelouch offered, handing out the teen's firearm once again "You can hold onto that, but for God's sake keep it in your pockets."

"I…I don't understand…" the teen stammered, taking the gun back hurriedly, stuffing it into one of his pants pockets as he looked between the trio, his features split into equal parts confusion, terror and curiosity "You guys…aren't Hollows?"

"What's a Hollow?" Shinji demanded, wanting to get some answers from SOMEBODY today, only to blink as all this earned him was a disbelieving stare from their new acquaintance "What?"

"A Hollow is the result of the awakening of a dormant genome in Human DNA." Lelouch opined, his tone making it clear he was accessing his 'Inner Library', as he put it "This awakening normally occurs posthumously, in other words, only after the carrier experiences a violent death."

"What, like in Highlander?" Shinji wondered aloud, only to flush as the other three stared at him incredulously "Kaji-sensei was a big time movie buff."

"Whatever…" Lelouch muttered offhandedly, turning to their new friend "In any case, I can't speak for myself, but I'm fairly certain these two haven't suffered any violent deaths." He snorted offhandedly "YET anyways."

"That isn't funny Lamperouge-san!" Hikari snapped, jabbing her thumb into his neck, causing the elder teen to collapse laughing against the ground, "Don't mind Lamperouge-san." she assured the teen, who'd backed up against the alley wall in alarm "He just says things like that to scare people."

"WHO'S the scary one?" Lelouch demanded, forcing down his chuckles with a growl as he shrugged off Shinji's helping hand and clambered to his feet "In any case, I'm Lelouch Lamperouge." He introduced, before nodding to the others "This is Shinji and Hikari…you got a name there, Soldier Boy?"

"K...Keigo…" the brunet stammered, looking between them all in confusion, but with decidedly less fear than he had before, confusion and relief having taken up space behind his eyes "Asano Keigo."

"Well then, Asano-san." Lelouch mused, a wry smirk adorning his features "I don't know about you, but I think we better be getting out of this alleyway." He tilted his head back the way they came "Not only that," he added wryly "But if people see three teenage boys and a schoolgirl in an alleyway, it might cause a commotion."

"WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING?!" Hikari yelled, jabbing her thumb into the teen's neck again, standing over the cackling Lelouch with an irate scowl on her face, while Keigo and Shinji backed away from her in alarm.

* * *

_Later... _

Once Lelouch had stopped laughing, and threatening grievous bodily harm on Hikari for that matter, the trio and the uncertain Asano made their way carefully out of the Alley, Hikari walking with her arm entwined with the brunet's, giving the image of an enamored couple, Asano's waxy, terrified grin passing for dazed contentment, the teen eyeing the surrounding populace whilst keeping one hand in his pocket, where his handgun rested.

One thing Lelouch noted, as he walked down the street alongside Shinji, was that the crowd seemed to be giving them a respectful berth, some of them even offering a polite wave when they espied the logo on the teen's jacket, a passing patrolman even stood to attention.

'It appears this Smart Brain corporation might be another organization like N.E.R.V.' the Passing-Through Rider mused, returning the salute with a nod as he walked past 'Hell their logo's all over the place for starters…'

"It's weird…" Shinji muttered, the last Ikari whispering to his companion as they eyed the surrounding populace with a hint of suspicion "I keep getting the feeling we're being surrounded."

"We're already surrounded." Lelouch muttered, his eyes catching the occasional flash of a bone mask in the crowd "They just haven't figured it out yet."

The crowd seemed to pause, and for a moment, Lelouch swore the game was up, only to blink, the unlikely quartet looking on as the crowed turned, as one, to look up as a nearby Jumbotron, which had been displaying the 'Smart Brain' Logo for some time now. A woman had replaced the Logo on screen, her dress, were it not, practically SCREAMING Gothic Lolita, her features lined purple lipstick and eye shadow that caused Lelouch to flinch with recollection for some reason.

"Hello there Karakura!" she greeted, in what she probably thought was an endearing tone of voice, but which reminded Shinji of those women who tried to pass themselves off as teenagers to appear cute "As of ten minutes ago, the Human Liberation Troops attacked the local Smart Brain H.Q!"

Lelouch frowned, looking up at the Jumbotron in confusion, noting the look of fear and loathing on Keigo's face as the woman continued. "But don't you worry!" she assured the crowd, who'd been muttering amongst themselves in concern "We were able to defeat six of them," she held a hand to her cheek, a look of mock sympathy on her face "Poor little guys…" her face took on a decidedly confident smirk "That means there's only Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty Three Human's left! Just a little longer, and the world will completely belong to us Hollows!"

"Say what…?" Shinji exclaimed, his eyes widening in horror as he tore them away from the big screen, where the woman was encouraging everyone to keep fighting, the last Ikari gazing around at the gathered populace, who were chattering excitedly amongst themselves, Lelouch's eyes narrowing as his suspicions were confirmed.

"She's joking…right…?" Hikari stammered, the freckled girl looking around nervously at the formerly peaceful town "These people…they're not really…"

"It's true…" Keigo muttered, the brown haired teen looking torn between terror and anger as he tightened his grip on her hand "The world has fallen into the hands of the Hollows…"

* * *

Dun-Dun-DUNNNNN-!

Well, probably not THAT much of a shock to anyone who saw the movie, but I'm sure you can all guess which universes I've spliced together this time.

In any case, here's to another good year!

_Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_A world of Monsters..._

Lelouch: The world is ruled by the Smart Brain Corporation, with 90% of the population being Hollows?

_Who walk in plain sight._

Keigo: Hollows can't be killed by ordinary weapons

_A failing resistance..._

Shinji: Smart Brain created the Rider Systems?

_With no hope in sight._

Keigo: We were looking for the Emperor Belt... designed specifically for the Hollow King."

?: Tell me more?

_A familiar face..._

Lelouch: You again...

?: Miss me, Tiger?

_Brings further questions._

Lelouch: take us to your base...

_But beneath the surface..._

_?: SMART BRAIN!_

Lelouch: Why am I not Surprised?

_Lies hidden depths._

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


	30. Bleac555 2

Picking up where we left off.

Shinji: Never gonna drink again.

Lelouch: Not even if Misato offers?

Shinji: Misato wouldn't share her booze even if GOD commanded it.

Lelouch: Well given how she views the Angels I'm not surprised.

Hikari: Honestly, that woman, I don't see what Aida and Suzahara-kun saw in her.

Kyugan: A smoking hot babe with purple hair, huge knockers and a penchant for walking around in her undies and getting so drunk she'd hit on teenagers.

Lelouch: Yet further proof that there was something wrong with Shinji's Canon self.

Shinji: I hate you both so much.

* * *

No Home for Humans.

"Ah, Szayel…" a cultured voice called out as the pink haired man stepped into the darkened room, the dim light glinting off the lenses of his spectacles "I hear we had a bit of a…disturbance, earlier on."

"Not at all sir," the pink haired man simpered, bowing with one arm across his waist, "A few pests simply made it into the lower levels, rest assured that the guards on duty have been…reprimanded."

"I don't recall giving such an order." the voice intoned, Szayel flinching as, despite the general amiability, there was a hint of steel there "Ah well, no matter, I assume the matter was dealt with properly?"

"But of course sir," Szayel simpered, the bespectacled man releasing a breath he'd been holding as he did so "We intercepted them en route to the labs and managed to drive them back to the surface. Regretfully, only one of them turned out to posses Hollow DNA."

"Ah well, that's the problem with Trial and Error." The figure sighed, his disappointment clear even as he regarded Szayel with a quirked brow "Any idea what they were after?"

"Yes sir…" Szayel admitted, looking uncomfortable "It would appear that the rebels have learned of the Emperor Belts."

Silence, save for the pumping of a machine and the bubbling of water, filled the darkened room, Szayel sweating as he felt his own heart hammering inside his throat. "It would appear that our security department is not the only one in need of a sharp reminder." The figure muttered after a moment, his tone low, but laced with enough malice to freeze mercury "Anything else?"

"Yes sir…" Szayel admitted, lowering his head, anything was better than meeting the figure's stare right now "The Kaixa system was spotted, we lost several men during the scuffle."

"Kensei…" the figure muttered, his tone torn between annoyance and amusement, only to scoff after a moment's thought "No matter, his time is numbered in any case. See to it that production is carried out quickly and efficiently, would you?"

"But of course," Szayel stammered, bowing low as he could, before scampering out of the darkened office, and it's sound of pumping machinery, as fast as he could without actually fleeing.

"Well now…" a snide voice noted, a tall man in a lad coat, stepping out of the shadows as Szayel's form vanished, turning to face the shadoy figure, a smirk adorning his thin features "Quite the turn of events, ain't it?"

"Indeed…" the figure murmured, his features hidden, as ever, by the shadows of the room, though one had the feeling he was NOT amused "See to it that the head of the Information Department is…reprimanded."

"Thought you'd never ask." The silver haired man grinned, a look that was more serpentine than vulpine adorning his features as he sauntered off to do just that, leaving a slight chill in his wake.

* * *

_Elsewhere..._

After the broadcast was concluded, leaving the general populace excited, with the exclusion of the unlikely quartet, Lelouch wisely figured it would be wiser to get off the streets before getting some answers, shepherding his companions towards a nearby café, heedless of Keigo's protests that they'd be discovered.

He needn't have worried at all as it turned out. The moment the owner of the shop had espied Lelouch's Smart Brain badge, they'd been led into a private booth, well away from prying eyes and ears of the normal customers. They'd even been assured that the bill would be signed off as an 'expense' by the company.

As it was, Lelouch was enjoying a nice espresso, Shinji a soda, Hikari was holding her green tea in both hands, and Keigo was staring at his unopened can of coke, as if he hadn't had one in ages.

"So let me get this straight." Lelouch muttered, eyeing the nervous teen as he set his cup delicately back on it's saucer "The world is ruled by the Smart Brain Corporation, with 90% of the population being Hollows?" he continued at the teen's nod "And as a result of this, the once prominent human race is nearing extinction?"

"It wasn't always like this." Keigo admitted morosely, looking down at his unopened drink, his shoulders slumped "There weren't so many of them in the beginning, only certain people carry Hollow genes inside them."

"And considering that the only way to awaken them is to suffer a violent death, I suppose many people wouldn't want to risk it." Lelouch mused, a wry smirk adorning his features, though he frowned when it failed to elicit even a snort "I assume that something changed all that?"

"Smart Brain." Keigo muttered with a growl, looking at the logo on the older teen's jacket venomously "They found a way to awaken the dormant DNA without resorting to death…not only that, they've even found ways of IMPLANTING Hollow DNA in ordinary humans."

"Forced Evolution." Lelouch muttered, his tone neutral, as if he were examining the situation from all angles "Pretty clever approach, and no-one noticed?"

"They covered it up as a series of experimental vaccine injections." Keigo muttered, rubbing his arm uncertainly "Created a false scare about some new virus…had people lining up in the streets." He grimaced "Turned out the 'Virus' was humanity."

"Clever…" Lelouch mused, his tone laced with grudging approval, though Keigo, who'd looked up to glare at him, noted that there was anger in the elder teen's mismatched eyes "What happened next? I'm assuming from the broadcast not everyone got the shot?"

"Some of us didn't trust the vaccine to begin with, others were naturally immune to the treatment or weren't around when it was issued." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking mildly embarrassed "Me…I hate needles."

"A valid fear it would seem." Lelouch opined, his eyes meeting Shinji's for a split second, cautioning the last Ikari not to laugh, though there was amusement in the elder teen's eyes "Still, I take it nobody took things sitting down?"

"Of course not!" Keigo exclaimed, only to flinch, looking around desperately to see if he'd drawn the attention of a passing waitress, only to sigh when no masked horrors looked back at him "Of course we resisted." He whispered "But Hollows can't be killed by ordinary weapons…" he eyed his handgun, which was under the table, sadly "Even these new Anti-Hollow rounds weren't effective once they transformed."

"Kaixa didn't seem to have trouble putting them down." Lelouch pointed out, earning a look of surprise from the teen "Quite the opposite actually. I take it he's on your side then?"

"Yeah…" Keigo admitted, and for the first time a look of pride appeared on his beaten, tired features "He's been with us for a while now, he stole one of the Rider Systems that Smart Brain developed, it's pretty much the only weapon we have that really works."

"Smart Brain created the Rider Systems?" Shinji exclaimed, the last Ikari looking at the teen with wide eyes, even as Lelouch sent him a sharp look to keep the noise down "But…that's crazy! Why would they create a weapon to destroy Hollows?"

"Because only Hollows, or Humans implanted with Hollow DNA, can use them." Keigo replied morosely, looking down at the table "Anyone else and they're just tacky adornments; it needs Hollow DNA to function."

"Which means they weren't initially designed to be used against Hollows." Lelouch deduced, his tone analytical as he stroked his chin "Perhaps they were created to protect them?"

"The King." Keigo muttered, earning a look of confusion from the trio "Mugarama-san, that's Kaixa's user, overheard a rumour that the Rider Systems were designed to protect the Hollow King."

"King?" Shinji repeated, the younger Rider blinking at the other boy in surprise, Hikari's eyes widening in disbelief while Lelouch remained impassive "You're telling me those monsters have a KING?"

"It's just an old rumor." Keigo muttered, looking around shiftily "I mean, no-one's ever seen him, but apparently, Smart Brain's been working round the clock to find the so-called Hollow with the King's genes."

"And they created the Riders to do that." Lelouch muttered, the teen nodding his head in understanding as silence fell over the booth "So is that why you attacked their HQ?"

"Sort of…" Keigo muttered, looking uncomfortable, but then that was understandable, considering the day he'd just had "We were looking for the Emperor Belt, it's a Rider system designed specifically for the Hollow King."

"Really now…" a voice called out, the quartet looking up in alarm, only to see a tall, buxom woman in a jacket, jeans and jersey that did little to hide her curves. A baseball cap was pulled over her blonde hair, which was done up in a ponytail though it did little to hide her bright, eager smile, nor the dazzling blue eyes that lay behind her circular spectacles "Tell me more."

"You again…" Lelouch muttered, the Passing Through Rider eyeing the woman suspiciously, Shinji blinking at her in surprise, Hikari trying her merry best not to stare at the woman's assets, while Keigo…

"That's a scandalous outfit you're wearing, Nee-chan-!" the revolutionary exclaimed, throwing himself out of the booth with a ridiculous smile on his face, only for the woman to backhand him across the hall, his face leaving a smoking dent in the wall.

"Mind if I sit down?" she asked, smiling as if she hadn't just knocked a five-pound weakling flying with a casual backhand, popping into Keigo's abandoned place and popping the tab on his coke and chugging it back without waiting to be asked "Ah! That's the stuff!"

"Help yourself, why don't you?" Lelouch muttered, internally impressed by the woman's handling of Keigo's idiocy, and even more impressed with her back-swing as Hikari turned to gape at Keigo's twitching form "We meet again."

"Missed me, Tiger?" the woman purred, and it wasn't an exaggeration, her throat literally rumbled, her words dripping with equal parts confidence and innuendo, so much so that Hikari felt her face heat up and Shinji, who'd thought himself immune to such tactics after spending time with Misato, found himself unbuttoning his collar to relieve some of the heat.

"Like a toothache." Lelouch shot back, though he wasn't entirely unmoved by her actions, she certainly WAS easy on the eyes, and certain other parts as well, but he clamped down on such base emotions like a bear trap on an unsuspecting leg, as he wasn't about to let his guard down for a moment, even if the sight of her hills and valleys gave him a sense of vertigo.

"I'm hurt…" the woman pouted, her tone coy, an expression that would have made weaker men drop to their knees in apology adorning her features. Even Shinji couldn't help but flinch, but stopped himself from apologizing thanks to a healthy kick to the shin from Hikari, who was eyeing the older woman suspiciously.

"So I take it you're just passing through again?" Lelouch asked, his eyes locked onto the woman's eyes, refusing to be distracted, even as she not-so-subtly rubbed his leg with her foot.

"Could say that." the woman admitted, her tone teasing, like a child who was being deliberately stubborn for the hell of it "Why? Want to tag along?"

"I've got business to attend to here." Lelouch countered, tugging his leg out of reach of her wandering foot, which had started teasing his thigh, as he glared into her eyes, what he could see beneath the brim of her cap anyways.

"All work and no play…" the woman sighed, shaking her head in mock sadness, though the teasing lilt of her voice was obvious "You need to unwind a little."

"Forgive me if I don't feel like letting my guard down when there are shape-changing monsters in human form walking in the streets as if they own them." Lelouch replied pleasantly, the sarcasm sharp enough to carve through the table.

"Don't tell me you're worried?" the figure chuckled, smiling teasingly at the teen as she sat back in her chair, taking another sip from her liberated can "I didn't think the Destroyer of Worlds would be so…timid."

Lelouch stood, his eyes flashing in anger as he reached for his belt, only to freeze as the telltale sound of a hammer being cocked sounded under the table. "Easy there, Tiger." The woman stated, still drinking from her soda can, even as she leveled a large technological handgun under the table "We're in a café, don't start a ruckus." She eyed him under the rim of her drink "Besides, I'm not with that cape sporting weirdo."

"You mean Zero…" Lelouch muttered, the Passing-Through Rider grudgingly settling calmly back into his seat, his eyes never leaving the woman's own "You know him?"

"Enough to know he's a real piece of work." The woman muttered, all hints of amusement gone from her tone "I don't know what he looks like under that helmet, but from what I've seen he's not the kind that steps out on the stage if he doesn't have to."

"Puppet master's rarely do." Lelouch muttered, his tone calm, though he could practically feel the barrel under the table aimed at his loins "And what does that make you? The Fairy Godmother?"

"Hardly…" the woman chuckled, her amused tone returning as she raised her weapon from under the table, sitting back as she used the barrel to push her hat brim up, revealing more of her pretty face "I'm just a Passing Through Treasure Hunter…Call me Tiff."

"Lelouch Lamperouge." The elder Rider introduced, nodding his head in greeting, a coy smirk of his own in place "Not sure if it's my real name, but it seems to fit and it's the one I go by."

"And you two are Shinji Ikari and Hikari Horaki, right?" Tiff noted, the duo jumping, having gotten used to being ignored through the conversation "Heard about what happened to your world, for what it's worth, sorry."

"T-Thanks…" Shinji muttered, the pair looking at the woman uncertainly, though they could tell from her tone she was being honest.

"Well then…" Tiff noted, smiling as she got to her feet, the firearm having vanished somewhere about her person as she tugged her hat brim back into place "It was nice getting to meet you all but I got to get going…things to do, treasure to plunder…"

"We should get going as well." Lelouch muttered, eyeing the recumbent form of Keigo, who was still eyeing the little pixies circling his head with the dazed leer of the moderately concussed "Need to get this idiot back to his friends."

"I'd try the old dry good's store on the outskirts of town." Tiff advised, tapping her finger to her lips even as Lelouch quirked a brow at her in suspicion "Just a hunch."

"Right…" Lelouch muttered, his tone suspicious as he got to his feet, "We'll do that," he muttered, turning to glare at Keigo "Good grief," he muttered, bending down and grabbing an arm "Shinji, get his other one would-!"

There was a noise similar to a squeaky toy being squeezed, Lelouch letting loose a strangled yelp as his back went from Horizontal to Vertical so fast the joints popped, his hands clamping around his assaulted rear as he whipped round, mismatched eyes wide with alarm.

The corridor behind him was empty, save for a red-faced Hikari and a gaping Shinji. "Did…Did she just…?" the class rep stammered, covering her mouth, looking scandalized, even as Lelouch realized there was something taped to his backside, pulling it off to find a note, written in lipstick again.

_"Sorry to pinch and run Tiger."_ The missive read, Lelouch's eyes narrowing as he took in the smiling chibi with cat lips in the corner _"But I couldn't resist, you made it too easy! :3 Tiff."_

Needless to say, the staff at the café were quite surprised to hear the Smart Brain Employee's curses through a wall, a wall that they'd been certain to soundproof.

It didn't pay to be nosy when dealing with a company responsible for governing the entire world, evident from the fact THIS employee was swearing in English.

* * *

_One Righteous Tantrum later..._

_"So help me when I get my hands on her…"_ Lelouch muttered, using the English language without seeming to notice, Shinji, Keigo and Hikari following in the elder Teen's wake as he stormed out of the café _"And how the hell does she keep disappearing like that?"_

"Is he foreign or something?" Keigo wondered, the dazed teen looking from Lelouch to Shinji for confirmation, only for the teen to Shrug "But he was speaking Japanese a few seconds ago!

"It's a talent." Lelouch shot back snidely over his shoulder, earning a yelp of alarm from Keigo, who hadn't thought the elder teen was paying attention "In any case, I think it's about time we get going, Asano-san."

"Eh?" Keigo stammered, the dazed brunet looking up in surprise, still a little caught off guard from before "Um…sure…where are we going then?"

"Your base." Lelouch retorted, leading them down a deserted alleyway "The sooner we get you back to your buddies the better, so lead the way."

"Um…not sure I can do that…" Keigo stammered, the brunet suddenly looking shifty, eyeing the trio with renewed suspicion.

"Oh for God's sake…" Lelouch muttered, eyeing the brunet with an irritated expression in his mismatched eyes "Look, if we'd wanted to kill you or hand you over to Smart Brain we'd have done so by now!"

"You could be biding your time until you find our base." Keigo muttered defiantly, though in truth he seemed more embarrassed than suspicious "Spies do that all the time…pretending to be your friend, only to sell out your hideout to the enemy."

"But we're not-!" Shinji began, only to pause as Lelouch held up a hand, stalling him from saying another word.

"Asano-san." The elder Rider called out, brushing his bangs out of his face with one hand, revealing his glowing crimson eye "I'd really appreciate it if you took us to your Hideout."

Keigo blinked, and for a moment looked like he was about to protest further, only for his features to slacken, his shoulders relaxing even as he stood up straighter "Yes…" he muttered, as if speaking in a dream "Follow me…this way…"

Lelouch smirked, the elder teen watching the rebel scamper off down the alleyway like a rat down its hole "Hypnotism…" he mused, shaking his head in approval even as he followed after the teen, a stunned Shinji and Hikari in his wake "Gotta love it."

Several minutes later, Lelouch's amusement had given away to a dull annoyance, the teen glaring pointedly at the back of Keigo's head.

It hadn't been so bad in the beginning, simply following the brunet through the back-alleys of Karakura, but then he'd reached a nearby bridge and vaulted over, leading them to a small, fenced off pipe that had led them back into the city, via the sewer systems.

It was rather ingenious really, any pursuer with less patience than the trio would have probably gone on a rampage, giving themselves away, and quite possibly destroying the access provided, but Keigo insisted there were many such tunnels hidden all over the town, which apparently ran for miles in every direction.

Following through the maze was no easy task either, there were certain times when they were impassable, and certain sections were entirely inaccessible during specific times of the year. The rebels had to memorize the route by memory too, as even a slight marking would have given the game away.

However, even Lelouch's patience, tempered by having to deal with Zero's machinations, Watanuki's cryptic, smoke-laden statements, and the antics of Mokona, and the twins, was reaching it's end, and would probably have snapped long before now had Keigo, with a near instinctive show of foresight, not chosen one of the drier routs, the brunet finally pushing open the door of an ancient boiler/heater, the quartet staggering out into the light of day, wincing in the evening light.

"Not much farther," the brunet assured them, the dazed tone replaced with a distracted nervousness, as if he wasn't looking forward to going back "Er…look, when we get there, let me do the talking, alright?" he flinched under Lelouch's stare "Only, there's only a few of us, and the other's are kind of…suspicious."

"I never would have guessed." Lelouch muttered wryly, the elder Rider dusting off his knees while Hikari tried to shake mud, what she PRAYED was mud anyways, off her skirt "Lead on, Asano-san."

Keigo nodded, looking more like a man heading towards his own personal firing squad than a revolutionary returning home from a massacre as he led the way up to what looked like an abandoned grocery store, the weather-beaten sign over the doorway having fallen down, the faded Kanji for _'Urahara Shoten'_ barely visible through the dust of ages past.

"You sure this is the place?" Lelouch muttered, quirking a brow suspiciously as he watched a tumbleweed roll dramatically across weed-strewn courtyard "I mean sure, I certainly wouldn't expect to find a bunch of resistance fighters hiding in a dump like this…but that's because I'm certain they'd have more sense."

"It's a lot bigger than you'd think…" Keigo countered with an assurance that didn't quite make up for his embarrassed chuckle "Let's get inside first…" he urged, eyeing the shadows suspiciously "It's not good to stay out here for too long."

Lelouch said nothing but stepped forward confidently, idly looking over his shoulder to see Shinji keeping an eye on the rear, a nervous Hikari standing between the two Riders, eyeing their surroundings uncertainly. After he was certain they weren't being followed, Keigo sighed, took a breath to steady himself, before sliding the door open cautiously, revealing the dusty interior.

"This way…" he insisted, gesturing for them to move ahead of him, peering suspiciously out at the yard before shutting and barring the door behind him "Head towards the corridor, don't step on the right side, it's booby trapped."

"Good grief." Shinji exclaimed, the last Ikari looking at Lelouch in a kind of deadpan amazement as they followed the brunet into the bowels of the house "Who designed this place? Ninjas?"

"Or someone living in fear of monsters in human skin?" Lelouch countered snarkily, still a little irked after spending the better part of the day in a sewer, only to flinch internally at the hurt look on Shinji's face "Sorry…it's been a long day."

"It's okay…" Shinji assured him, smiling to show no offence had been taken, the pair of them looking up just as Keigo pulled up a section of the Tatami floor, under which was a ladder, and a dull light.

"Damn…generator must be on the fritz again." Keigo muttered, grimacing as he led the way down the tunnel, the trio following cautiously in the gloom, only to blink as they climbed out of what appeared to be the roof of a crevice in a mountain, a small shanty town spreading out from the bottom of the cliff, a ragtag collection of tents and huts, from which the occasional trail of smoke was issued.

"Impressive…" Lelouch opined, quirking a brow approvingly as they descended down the ladder towards the shanty town below "Never would have thought there'd be a TOWN down here." He eyed their surroundings "Still, begs the question…HOW the HELL did you manage to build this place?"

"The owner of the shop upstairs said he used it to escape from taxmen." Keigo admitted, though he had the grace to look away under the weight of three disbelieving stares "Look, you can ask him yourselves when we get down…"

Lelouch said nothing, simply narrowed his eyes, peering down at the little shanty town in barely concealed suspicion. It was quiet, TOO quiet for his liking. Even if they were being hunted day and night by these Hollows, Lelouch found it highly unlikely that everyone NOT on the front lines stayed indoors with their blankets over their heads.

It could simply mean that the rest of them were all out fighting, but seeing as Keigo admitted to having elderly and children among their number, the Passing-Through Rider found this doubtful at best.

He glanced up, meeting Shinji's gaze, the Last Ikari looking down as he descended just above Hikari, in case someone tried coming down after them, nodding his head once and summoning his belt, though he didn't activate it.

"Here we are…" Keigo muttered, the brunet stepping aside to allow the others to clamber off the ladder, Lelouch helping Hikari down, while Shinji dropped the last few feet, landing in a crouch "Welcome to Home, such as it is."

"Where is everyone?" Hikari wondered, looking around the dusty, thrown-together domiciles with a look of concern "Are they hiding?"

"That's weird…" Keigo muttered, rubbing the back of his head in confusion, "There's usually someone here to guard the entrance…"

No sooner had the words left his mouth did several people burst from cover, semi-automatic weapons aimed at the group, their features hard and suspicious. Some of them wore white trench-coats the others made do with the tattered, dusty remains of everyday clothes, Lelouch could swear he saw several dusty school uniforms amongst the crowd, all torn trousers, faded skirts and dirt-covered shirts and blouses.

"Wait!" Keigo yelled, the startled brunet throwing his arms up to waylay his comrade's from opening fire "Don't shoot! It's me! Keigo!"

"Asano?" a voice called out, one of the girls, a medium-built one with short black hair and a tomboyish expression, lowering her gun with a frown "That you?"

"Arisawa!" the brunet wailed, tears of relief falling from his face as he pranced towards the tomboy with his arms wide "Thank God it's-!"

WHAM!

Lelouch quirked a brow, watching as Keigo fell backwards, a dent in his face from where it had impacted with the girl's extended fist. It wasn't so much that the girl, Arisawa he recalled, had punched the brunet, it was simply that her fist had filled the spot where the idiot's face was going to be, letting his own momentum do all the work. 'Martial Artist.' he deduced, nodding in approval even as Keigo writhed on the ground, holding his abused kisser 'Black Belt for sure.'

"YOU MORON!" Arisawa yelled, the clearly tomboyish female drawing the Passing Through Rider's thoughts back to reality as she stood over the bloody brunet with a look of fury "Where the hell have you been? No never mind! I know exactly where you were, what the HELL were you thinking?!"

"Tasuki-chan…" a voice called out, the groups eyes turning as a shy looking strawberry-blonde stepped forward, grasping Arisawa's arm with both her own to hold the other girl back. Unlike Arisawa, who was fiery, forward and flat, this girl was anything but, especially around the chest area.

'How the hell does she manage to stand with those things?' Lelouch muttered, the teen's eyes straining to keep above the girl's neckline, grimacing as he felt a stab of pain flash through his head 'Dammit…what now-?'

"It's not enough Orihime!" Tatsuki countered, looking at the more generously stacked girl sternly, heedless of Lelouch's discomfort "He and the others just rode out of here, thinking they can break into Smart Brain HQ of all places, only to get slaughtered!"

"We had to do something!" Keigo countered, covering his nose as he looked up at the tomboy, his face torn between pride and fear "At this rate we're going to be wiped out by the Hollows!"

"We won't if idiots like you stop rushing into things headfirst!" Tatsuki countered with a glare, causing the brunet to whimper, only to blink as she finally spotted the trio behind him "Who're these guys?"

"They helped me escape from the city." Keigo revealed, gesturing towards the trio, glad that Tatsuki's attention was no longer on himself "They wanna help."

"Really?" Tatsuki wondered, turning to face the trio, her eyes passing over Shinji and Hikari warily, only to snap wide open at the sight of Lelouch "SMART BRAIN!"

Lelouch swore, the teen's brow twitching as the startled rebels leapt back, Shinji and Hikari looking on in alarm as the cocking of countless semi-automatic weapons sounded all around them, the barrels of the weapons aimed right at his face.

"Why am I not surprised?"

* * *

I think I might have an addiction to Cliffhangers, which is weird since seeing them usually makes me fly into a rage.

Oh well, in any case, the ball is rolling. Let's see where it ends up.

_Next Time, on Code Decade:_

_A Less than stellar welcome..._

_Keigo: Arisawa! It's Alright! He's not a Hollow!_

_Is Quickly diffused._

?: Oya? Asano-san! So you made it back in one piece!

_Legend speaks of a hero..._

Orihime: He isn't dead!

_Who vanished long ago._

Kensei: Faiz ain't coming back.

_A flash of recollection..._

Lelouch: What's with that girl?

Orihime: Lamperouge-san?

_Leads to a strange encounter._

Orihime: Kurosaki-kun isn't dead!

Lelouch: I didn't say he was.

_What answers does the Princess keep?_

Orihime: It all started Four years ago...

_Hidden in her heart of hearts?_

_Destroy Everything! Connect Everything!_


End file.
